Ban on sachet alcohol: Reps C’ttee berates NAFDAC DG for disobeying motion to suspend directive

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC has accused the Director General of the agency, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye of blatantly refusing to suspend the ban on sachet alcohol as directed by the House.

Briefing journalists at the National Assembly at the weekend, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Regina Akume said the action of the DG amounts to a show of disregard to the rule of law.

She lamented that all entreaties for the DG to obey the order fell on deaf ears warning that the position of Professor Mojisola Adeyeye was capable of throwing the country into chaos.

The Committee recalled that the House in a resolution NASS/CNA/35/VOL4/100, dated 21st March, 2024 in consideration of report of the Committee on NAFDAC on the need to suspend the ban it imposed  the sachet alcohol and less than 200ML pet bottles directed that the ban should be lifted because of wrong timing and unstable state of the economy where “unemployment rate is staggering and inflation rate is soaring, while the poverty is on the increase with paucity of FOREX to do business.”

“The agency in question was duly served with the resolution, but to our greatest surprise, no action has been taken to implement the resolution and comply with the directives, two months after it was passed.

“You need not to be told that the parliament is the center piece of our democracy. If the Nigerian parliament that is the fulcrum and giant of African democracy is abused in this manner, the future of African democracy will be doomed.

“The Committee regrets the sudden deteriorating mutual relationship between the agency and the parliament, which is counter productive to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.We view the Director General’s action as a direct affront on the rule of law and the people’s parliament.

“If this display of impunity is allowed to go through, it will set a dangerous precedence for future abuse and disregard for legislative directives and set a pace for undermining our hard earned democracy.In view of the above, which clearly suggest her insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians, undermined the authority of the House and defiled the rule of law”, she added.

Some other members of the House Committee notably Hon Chinedu Ogar also flawed the regulatory agencies saying that it has allowed so many uncertified products to enter into the Nigerian market