The Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, (FOBTOB) has pleaded with the National Assembly to reconsider the ban on alcoholic drinks in sachets and bottles below 200 mililitres.

The ban is expected to take effect in the new year. Briefing journalists in Lagos yesterday, the National President of FOBTOB, Comrade Jimoh Oyibo, urged the Senate to rather call a meeting of stakeholders to hear all sides on the issue before taking a decision.

Comrade Oyibo stated that outright ban of sachet alcoholic drinks would throw millions of workers out of jobs, loss of government taxes being paid by the workers and their employers and also destroy huge local investments in the alcoholic beverage industry.

On the alcohol abuse by minors cited for the ban, the union leader suggested public enlightenment on responsible consumption of alcohol, control of access to alcohol by underaged and strict enforcement of ban on sale of alcohol at unauthorized places.