Petty traders in Lagos have appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to suspend the enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and plastic bottles below 200ml.
The traders, under the aegis of the Lagos State chapter of Concerned Drink Sellers and Traders Across Nigeria, said the enforcement of the policy had become a threat to the livelihoods of thousands of small-scale retailers who depended on the products for their daily income.
Members of the association recently staged a protest in Lagos, expressing concerns over the alleged confiscation of their goods and the financial difficulties caused by the enforcement of the ban.
The protest followed NAFDAC’s directive to manufacturers of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and plastic bottles below 200ml to recall and destroy the affected products.
The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the association, Ogbeni Adebayo, said many retailers had been thrown into financial hardship, with some struggling to repay loans obtained to finance their businesses.
He alleged that enforcement officers often carried out aggressive operations and confiscated goods belonging to petty traders.
“On many occasions, the enforcers go on aggressive operations, confiscating goods and putting these petty traders in a state of hopelessness. Over 90 per cent of the retailers you see here today are on bank loans that they have no idea how to pay back,” Adebayo said.
He appealed to President Tinubu and NAFDAC to consider the plight of the affected traders, stressing that many of them had invested borrowed funds in their businesses.
“Where does the government want them to run to now? We are calling on President Tinubu and NAFDAC to help us,” he said.
One of the protesters, Imeh Iyang, said he and his wife depended on the sale of sachet alcoholic beverages as their legitimate source of income.
According to him, many women involved in the trade were single mothers and widows who relied on the business to cater for their families.
“My wife and I sell sachet alcoholic beverages as legal retailers. That is our legitimate means of livelihood. Most of the women gathered here today do the same business to cater for their families. Many of them are single mothers and widows. How does the government want them to survive this harsh economy?” he asked.
Another retailer, Lola Omololu, said the business had been her primary source of income since the death of her husband.
“Since I lost my husband, this petty trade has been my only means of paying bills and feeding my children. I cannot go into prostitution or do anything against the law to feed my children. The government should help us,” she said.
Similarly, Temitayo Shodeke described the enforcement of the ban as difficult for petty traders at a time when many Nigerians were already grappling with the high cost of living.
“In this harsh economy, the government’s decision, in addition to NAFDAC’s enforcement, is brutal, to say the least. Is selling sachet alcoholic beverages a crime?” she asked.
Shodeke appealed to the Federal Government and NAFDAC to reconsider the impact of the policy on small-scale retailers and provide alternatives for those whose businesses could be affected.
“Do they want people to commit crimes before taking care of their basic needs, or to fold their arms in idleness and die of extreme hunger?” she said.
The protesters urged the Federal Government to engage retailers and other stakeholders before taking further steps to enforce the ban.
They said while they recognised the need to address public health concerns associated with the consumption of alcohol, authorities should also consider measures to protect the livelihoods of small-scale traders.
The retailers called for a balance between the objectives of the regulatory policy and the economic survival of thousands of Nigerians who depend on the sale of the affected products to support themselves and their families.
