The Digest:
Operations at NAFDAC's Lagos office in Isolo were disrupted on Wednesday as protesting union members barricaded the premises, locking out staff seeking to resume duty. Members of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees blocked both entrance and exit gates in protest against NAFDAC's continued enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and PET bottles below 200 millilitres. The union demands immediate unsealing of affected factories and production lines, warning that sustained enforcement could trigger significant economic consequences across the industry. This follows earlier protests this month over the agency's alleged refusal to comply with a purported Federal Government directive to suspend enforcement. NAFDAC maintains it has received no official instruction to halt the ban. Police later arrived at the scene, and the barricade was eventually lifted, restoring access to the premises.
Key Points:
- The protest disrupts regulatory operations and highlights industry tension.
- It reflects the economic impact of the ban on workers and businesses.
- Workers demand action, while NAFDAC stands by its enforcement.
- This signals the ongoing conflict between public health policy and economic interests.
- The timing, with police intervention, restores order but not resolution.
Union protests NAFDAC's sachet alcohol ban, locks out Lagos staff, demands factories unsealed as police restore access.
Sources: Channels Television, NAFDAC, National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees
