Between Prohibiting Production Of Locally Brewed Dry Gin And Job Creation

With the infiltration of more deaths caused by the consumption of the locally brewed gin, also known as ‘Ogogoro’, ‘kai-kai’, ‘sapele water’, ‘ akpuru-achia’ and so many other names as called by different tribes across the country, there is need to look at the whole scenario from a positive perspective.

I was at the Imo State House of Assembly complex last week when a motion seeking to prohibit the production, sale, distribution and consumption of locally brewed gin, also known as ‘ogogoro’ was debated and those in support that it be prohibited carried the day. Granted that the motion which will soon become a law as I saw in the order paper is germane and timely as our society has continued to lose productive and energetic youths at various stages.

A new dimension to this issue will open our minds, but before I do that, let me give you an insight into the items in the motion. Whereas Degree 19 of 1999, Act Cap No.1 mandate National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, chemicals, detergents, medical devices and packaged water.

Whereas the locally brewed dry gin, known as ‘ogogoro’ or ‘kai-kai’, or ‘sapele water’, among other native names by different tribes, which is being consumed in most parts of Imo does not have the approval of NAFDAC and has become deaths-in-bottles with over 70 percent deaths confirmed in neighboring state like Rivers State and 30 percent deaths in Ondo State. Unfortunately, some dangerous brewers add methanol to the product, which is more dangerous than ethanol.

I was jolted out of my concentration when the member representing Obowo state constituency, Imo State House of Assembly, Barr. Kennedy Ibe took me to this new dimension, that even state governments should pay for this idea, especially the Governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, whose second term policy is to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths. This vibrant lawmaker revealed that the production of ‘Ogogoro’ should not be prohibited as when regulated, can create jobs for the youths. We can also have factories producing ‘Ogogoro’ for the purpose of exportation, the legislator posited.

The production should not be stopped but the consumption, adding that Imo state can have a factory where ‘Ogogoro’ is made with a non-consumable tag on the bottle. This means that once the locally gin is brewed, it will move to another stage of refining and approved by NAFDAC and then ready for use having reduced the ‘killer content’.

The lawmaker hinted that the Governor can start building cottage industries as it were, to enable the youths gain employment, adding that the production of ‘Ogogoro’ can be modernized. He noted that the locally brewed gin is not consumable but poisonous which at the long run results to death. Since the locally brewed dry gin is a raw material for other finest finished product, the government can begin to create industries through either Public Private Partnership, PPP or Build Operate and Transfer, BOT, because to me, Government has no business being in business, it is for it to provide the enabling economic environment necessary for private investors’ businesses to thrive.

This is especially that there is crazy drive for internally generated revenue given the low economic trend. We must begin to think about how best to use our raw materials to provide employment. Imo has a lot of raw materials yet untapped, so that if the Governor really wants to come true to his mantra of Job Job Job, Factory, Factory, Factory and what have you, our dear Governor who has done well in the area of education, is urged to move into the communities and begin to create this job using the raw materials.

We do not need gigantic buildings to have industries. All we need is to create small small cottage industries across the 637 autonomous communities or sorry I just remembered that more autonomous communities are on the way.

The issue of describing our product as locally made, according to my journalist colleague, Jideofor Aluka, is spiteful and not a good one. Locally made because it is coming from our soul? I know that if it had come from abroad, we would not describe it as such. Does it mean that if it is coming from Abroad, it is not locally brewed?, Haba!!!!

Please, we must not give a dog a bad name to hang it. ‘Ogogoro’ is not the only locally brewed products in Imo state. We have the kaolin in Agbaghara Nsu in Ehime Mbano. That site can generate all the jobs the state government needs.

Are the Hennessey, St. Remy among other refined finished products, not gotten from the raw materials of ‘ogogoro’? Unfortunately, we buy them at exorbitant prices. We must learn to close the export and import windows if we mean to create jobs. It has to start from the federal government.