NAFDAC insists on alcohol sachet ban in Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration andControl, NAFDAC, says it will continue enforcing the ban on sachet and 200mlPET bottle alcoholic drinks. NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, spoke tojournalists on Friday after manufacturers and union members protested at theagency’s Lagos office. The protesters carried placards urging the FederalGovernment to stop NAFDAC’s ongoing enforcement of the ban on sachet andsmall-sized alcoholic beverages. Adeyeye said the enforcement was backed by law, stressingthat only a change in legislation could compel the agency to halt its actions. She added that the reasons advanced by the protesters wouldnot deter the agency from carrying out its statutory responsibilities. “We told them clearly that we will continue the enforcementbecause it is backed by the law. “The legislature makes the laws and directs us to regulatethe manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, and use of alcohol. “So, if the law changes and says we should not regulatealcohol, we will stop. Only the law can stop us from performing our duties,”she said. Adeyeye noted that the ban aligns with global healthstandards and Sustainable Development Goal 3.5 on reducing harmful alcoholconsumption. She also said manufacturers were given a five-yearmoratorium, with an additional one-year extension, to adjust production andbusiness plans. The Director-General warned that easy access to alcohol bychildren could lead to substance abuse and long-term health problems. She added that excessive alcohol consumption by adults couldcause liver damage and other serious health risks. Adeyeye urged parents to monitor their children and calledon community and religious leaders to support NAFDAC’s public health campaign. “No Nigerian has the right to make money at the expense ofanother person’s health,” she said.

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