500000 workers risk their means of livelihoods over planned implementation of pet bottled, sachets hot drinks

 

By allcitynews.ng 

In apparent bid to forestall the great risk that would befall workers in the Distillers sector if the planned implementation of  ban is allowed to take place, leaderships of the two unions in the manufacturing sector have called on Senate to weigh the consequences that would befall the sector.

Concerned, the helmsmen of organised unions in real sector, Food, Beverage,  and  Tobacco Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (FOBTOB) and National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees of Nigeria (NUFBTE) have appealed to members of the Senate to protect the investment of manufacturers of sachets and pet bottled hot drinks.

Lamenting that the planned implementation of the ban may lead to loss of jobs of 500000 direct jobs alone, reminding government that  "as  one  employee has at least seven or more mouths to feed many dependents will also face the consequences. Likewise the same move to protect children from accessibility of those drinks as licence for the ban may expose those children to more risk when their parents are no longer to sponsor them to schools."

Moreover, investors that have invested over N3trn in the companies manufacturing those drinks will not only close down but will also discourage more investments from local and foreign investors.

Addressing Labour Writers Association of Nigeria (LAWAN) on Tuesday in his secretariat, Yaba, FOBTOB President, Comrade Jimoh Oyibo,  called on lawmakers to save the country from policy summersault, inconsistency.

"When the same government that gave them licences to set up such firms now turned around to shut down the same, it will send wrong signals and also  discourage people from investing.

 

"Without any iota of doubt, Nigeria has become sachet drinks economy based on its pocket-friendliness. With planned enforcement of ban, it will create wrong impression in minds of would-be investors and about 500,000 would lose jobs.

According to Oyibo, "enforcement of the ban would lead to smuggling thereby turning Nigeria into dumping ground and it would  make many lose their jobs with their children no longer able to go to schools will increase many streets children."

Similarly, Oyibo charging the  lawmakers,  stressed, "Senate should invite all stakeholders before planned ban which would be counterproductive in that the same government that gave approval is turning back to cancel the same investments.

"We encourage the Senate Committee to have an on-the-spot assessment by visiting these companies to have a firsthand understanding of the huge investments that will be laid to waste if the order on the ban is carried out."

Furthermore, the President pointed out that "As FOBTOB, we are committed to ensuring that our employers comply with the highest regulations and standards (since our members are the ones involved in the production of these beverages). With this ban in place, the government will lose revenue that would have come from the taxes to be paid by these members who will lose their jobs. The children we are trying to protect will possibly be out of school, when their parents cannot cater for them again, and will be more prone to other social vices in the society. This will lead to full scale smuggling of the products. As the saying goes, “it takes the mother chicken to live and survive to be able to raise its young ones”. 

On his part, the President of NUFBTE, Comrade Ibrahim Garba reminded the lawmakers that federal government will also lose  much as  Customs Service's targeted revenue will be affected through the drinks will be affected too.

Garba lamenting  against the  consequences, appealed to Senate to reconsider the plan inview of the harm it  will do considering many direct and  indirect jobs that  would be affected as the ban would only  encourage faking ones and  smuggling that would not be beneficial to the economy."

On his part, the Secretary General, Comrade Solomon Adebosin noted that the ban will not discourage children from such drinks.

And fathers should not send their children on  such errands to buy sachets or pet bottledhot drinks.

According to Adebosin, "what the lawmakers should do is to restrict children.  And adult should desist from selling same to children. Government should ensure enforcement of law  that would keep children from such rather than ban."