Operations at the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) were disrupted on Wednesday as members of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees staged a protest over the agency’s enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages sold in sachets and small PET bottles.
Union members blocked both the entrance and exit gates of NAFDAC’s Isolo office, forcing staff who arrived for work to remain outside for hours. The protest comes amid the union’s demand for the immediate unsealing of factories and production lines affected by the ban, warning that continued enforcement could have serious economic consequences for the industry.
Earlier this month, the union had also picketed the same office, citing an alleged directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the National Security Adviser to suspend enforcement of the ban. NAFDAC, however, dismissed these claims, stating it had not received any official government instruction to halt the crackdown.
Police eventually intervened at the Isolo premises, and the barricade was lifted, allowing staff to resume work and restoring normal access to the office.
