Metro

TUC Protest Against Shutting Down Alcoholic Sachet Drink Factories By NAFDAC

Published

2 years ago

February 6, 2024

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Food, Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) on Tuesday held a peaceful protest against the National Agency Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC)’s directive to shut down companies manufacturing alcoholic sachet drinks.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest took place in front of NAFDAC’s office at Plot 1, Industrial Estate, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Isolo, Lagos State.

NAFDAC in 2018, had given a directive to stop the production of alcoholic beverages and drinks in sachets and bottles below 200ml with effect from Jan. 31, 2024.

Also, NAFDAC had in January 2022 suspended the registration of alcoholic beverages in sachet as well as small volume PET and glass bottles below 200ml.

This led to a two-day enforcement exercise which was recently carried out in Ota, Ogun State, leading to the shutting down of some factories.

The Vice-President of TUC, Mr Emmanuel Idogen, said that a lot of people had already been rendered jobless from the factories shut down by the regulatory agency .

Idogen said that though he was not against NAFDAC carrying out their duty, but to shut down the livelihood of thousands of people at a time of economic hardship was inhumane.

“We all know the economic hardship we are facing in the country presently. Price of fuel has increased, prices of food is increasing on a daily basis and there is inflation.

“Some of the people earn their living to feed their family and dependents from the factory that you have shut down.

“Invariably, there will be more families exposed to hunger and I believe this will have a negative impact on the society,” he said.

The vice-president said that many companies in the country, as a result of the harsh economic indices of doing business, had been under strain due to limited available jobs.

“And now, you want to lay off thousands of workers into the labour market that is already overstretched.

“What do you expect them to do in order to feed and cater for the needs of their family?.

“We are appealing to NAFDAC to suspend the directive to shutdown the production of alcoholic sachets drinks for the posterity of the masses,” he said.

Idogen said that the Lagos State government raised the motion that alcoholic sachets were the cause of blocked drainage systems in the state.

“What about others like nylon bags, plastic bottles and other things blocking the drainages.

“To label alcoholic sachets as the sole contributor to the blockages of drainage would be unfair,” he said.

The vice-president also said that alcoholic sachet drinks was affordable and economical in quantity for those that don’t have enough money but still wanted to enjoy alcohol consumption.

“When you talk about the purchasing power of the masses, sachet alcoholic beverages is still more available for easy purchase.

“It is not everyone that has money to buy the expensive bottle so why are you trying to make life difficulty for the common man on the street?,” Idogen said.

Similarly, the Secretary of FOBTOB, Mr Anthony Oyagua, said that no fewer than 5,000 members had been put out of jobs and sent into the labour market.

“The labour market is already saturated and you have piled more problems on our nation’s economy by sending more people into that same market.

“This does not represent President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for the renewed hope,” he said.

Oyagua said that the action would affect workers, suppliers, customers and most especially the local, state and federal government whose revenue drive will also drop in tune of billions of naira.

“We appeal to NAFDAC to help take a second look at this policy of government and help save our industry from imminent collapse and protect the jobs of millions of Nigerians nationwide,” he said.

The Director, Drug and Evaluation Research, NAFDAC, Mr Kayode Amuda, said that the agency’s focus was to shutdown the alcoholic line production because of its negative effects on the society.

“Our critical focus is to protect the health of the nation because a lot of our children and youths have been made redundant as a result of easy access to these sachet drinks.

“We have been on the front burner of this message for long and have been telling the manufacturers about this impeding change but we keep on shifting goal post.

“However, we have to take a step toward enforcement and address this because it is ruining the life of our children and youths in the country.

“Our focus in NAFDAC is to put a stop to the production of alcoholic sachet beverages,” the NAFDAC representative said.

Metro

Edo Assembly Declares Okpebholo’s Projects Unprecedented

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

The Edo State House of Assembly has described projects embarked upon by Governor Monday Okpebholo as unprecedented in the history of Edo State.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Atu Osamwonyi, made the assertion when he led members of the legislature on a comprehensive oversight inspection of several ongoing infrastructural projects.

Other lawmakers on the oversight team included Hon. Addeh Isibor, Hon. Yekini Idaiye, and Hon. Ugabi Kingsley.

Hon. Osamwonyi, who spoke during an assessment tour of the Sapele Road Flyover, said the lawmakers were in the field to verify the progress of work and ensure that funds appropriated by the Assembly were being judiciously utilised.

According to him, the flyover represents a milestone for Benin City and reflects the governor’s commitment to infrastructural renewal.

He emphasised that unlike past administrations where funds were approved with no tangible results, the Okpebholo-led government had demonstrated transparency and visible delivery.

“In my entire life in Edo State, this flyover project is the first of its kind. We are here physically, and work is ongoing,” he said.

The Deputy Speaker added that the Assembly had earlier inspected the Ramat Park Flyover on Monday, noting similar levels of progress.

“This is the fifth site we have visited since yesterday. We are impressed with what we have seen so far, and as a House, we will stand by the governor to ensure he finishes strong,” he said.

At Ogheghe, Old Sapele Road and Ekae Road—where a 14-kilometre road and concrete drainage network is underway—Hon. Osamwonyi described the construction efforts as unprecedented, expressing astonishment at the level of work done within a short period.

He insisted that the legislature does not play politics with accountability and would speak the truth at all times.

“If Governor Okpebholo was not doing well, we would say it. But I stand here today to affirm that the funds appropriated are being used judiciously for the benefit of the people.l”, he noted.

He further remarked that despite limited financial resources, the governor had delivered projects many believed were impossible.

The Deputy Speaker recalled that several communities, particularly in Ogheghe, previously suffered from severe road degradation that made access impossible, even for motorcycles.

“But today we are standing here with joy. The governor has brought democracy to Edo in a way the people can feel,” he said.

According to him, contractors handling the projects confirmed that although the initial timeline was two years, work would likely be completed within one year and six months due to the speed of implementation.

“That tells you that Governor Okpebholo is not eating Edo people’s money,” he added.

Hon. Osamwonyi stressed that the Assembly would resist any attempt to derail the governor’s momentum.

“This is the continuity we want in Edo State. Anybody who wants to thwart the governor’s efforts, we will not agree,” he said.

The oversight team also visited the 5.86-kilometre road project linking Amagba and Obagie-N’Ebvuosa, where the engineer handling the project reported that 4.3 kilometres of drainage had already been completed.

Metro

Edo Final-year Student Dies In Sign-out Motorcade Crash

Published

2 days ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

A yet-to-be-identified final-year student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, has lost his life in a road crash after he and some other students embarked on a motorcade parade to celebrate the completion of their final examinations.

It was learnt on Tuesday from a Facebook user, Inside Edo, that the accident occurred on Monday shortly after the students finished their final examination.

Inside Edo disclosed that the vehicle had attempted to overtake another before losing control and ramming into a truck.

The post read, “A tragic accident has occurred at Ujoelen, close to the primary school, resulting in the death of a newly graduated student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.

“According to eyewitnesses, the crash happened during an attempted overtaking by one of the vehicles involved.

“The risky manoeuvre reportedly led to a loss of control, causing the fatal incident. Residents who were nearby rushed to the scene, but the victim could not be saved.”

Similarly, the News Agency of Nigeria reported that the students were said to have been driving recklessly before crashing into a stationary truck.

The deceased was said to be part of a convoy made up of fresh graduates of the university.

NAN reported, “He was reportedly part of a convoy of fresh graduates who took to the highway on Monday shortly after their signing-out activities.

“Witnesses said the group drove recklessly and failed to observe basic safety rules during the celebrations.

“The tragedy occurred when the deceased attempted to overtake a moving truck but collided with a stationary vehicle parked along the road.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Edo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Cyril Mathew, proved abortive, as the official number available on the FRSC directory was not reachable at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, NAN reported that Mathew later confirmed the incident, adding that one person died while five others were injured in the crash.

“The students, after writing their last paper, took to the road in a convoy.

“In the process, one of them overtook another vehicle and rammed into a stationary truck,” NAN quoted Mathew as saying.

Metro

One Dies In Oyo Fire, Two Rescued

Published

2 days ago

December 10, 2025

Editor

One person lost her life in a fire incident at Agbaakin Street, behind Testing Ground, Iwo Road, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday.

This was contained in a statement by the Chairman of the State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, in Ibadan, on Tuesday.

He said the fire resulted from a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials.

Akinwande added that the firefighting operation was successfully carried out with the support of officers of the Federal Fire Service.

“The fire emergency was received at exactly 20:18 hours on Monday, December 8, 2025.

“On getting there, it was two rooms on the upper floor of a private residential building of 12 rooms engulfed by fire.

“One person (female) was recovered, while two persons (males) were rescued alive. The fire also affected only two rooms, and the whole building and other properties worth millions of naira were saved by the officers of the agency.

“The fire incident was a result of a lighted charcoal cooking pot left unattended, which ignited nearby combustible materials. The operation was jointly carried out with the Federal Fire Service, Ibadan Command,” he explained.

In a related development, a fire incident on Tuesday engulfed the Agric Business Development Agency at Total Garden in Ibadan.

A statement by the State Fire Service Chairman, Akinwande, said the agency received a telephone call through Mr Akinyinka reporting that fire had ravaged the place.

“The incident was reported at exactly 09:20hrs on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, through a telephone call by Mr Akinyinka (the General Manager, Oyo State Fire Services Agency) to the office, reporting a fire at the above-stated address.

“The officers, led by ACFS Oyeniyi Taofeek, swiftly mobilised and deployed to the scene. Upon arrival, it was discovered that electrical sparks from a solar inverter control board on the upper floor of the building resulted in the fire.

“The swift response and professional intervention of our officers prevented the situation from escalating into a fire disaster. The use of portable fire extinguishers was employed during the firefighting operation.

“No casualty was recorded, and properties worth millions of naira were saved by the fire service. The fire incident was a result of electrical sparks from the inverter system,” the statement read.

The chairman, therefore, advised the public to always use correct cables and other electrical materials for their installations.