The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have jointly called for the dismissal of Moji Adeyeye, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), accusing her of collaborating with multinational corporations to harm local businesses involved in alcohol production in Nigeria.
The demand was made during a protest held in Ogun State by leaders of the NLC and TUC in response to NAFDAC’s decision to prohibit the production of alcoholic beverages in sachet packaging.
NAFDAC had previously banned the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages in glass bottles of 200 ml or less, as well as sachets and pet containers.
Members of the Food Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) and the National Union of Food Beverages and Tobacco Employees (NUFBE) joined the unions in protesting outside the Ogun State House of Assembly, expressing their dissatisfaction with the ban.
Demonstrators carried banners and placards with various messages, including “Don’t create another problem, don’t make us jobless in this biting economy,” “Our industries must not die of wicked policies MAN save our industries,” and “NAFDAC don’t take away our work.”
Addressing the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, TUC Chairman Hakeem Lasisi lamented that the ban would lead to the loss of over N800 billion in industrial investment and the unemployment of more than 500,000 workers.
Lasisi criticized the ban as being detrimental to Nigerians, particularly workers in the industry, and accused Adeyeye of colluding with multinational companies to destroy local businesses. He demanded her suspension.
Echoing Lasisi’s sentiments, NLC Chairman Hammed Benco urged Congress to pressure NAFDAC to revoke the prohibition.
In response, the Speaker appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider the ban and assured that the Assembly would intervene.
“We are in a very critical moment in this country. Though the ban is a federal government decision, we will communicate our concerns to them,” said the Speaker.
The protest underscores the growing discontent among labour unions and industry workers over NAFDAC’s policy, highlighting the potential economic repercussions and the call for accountability within regulatory bodies.
