BREAKING: NAFDAC Begins Enforcement Of Ban On Alcoholic Drinks In Sachet

NAFDAC has called on distillers to cease the production of alcoholic beverages in sachets and PET bottles of less than 200ml.

VerseNews reports that the Assistant Chief Regulator Officer, Investigation and Enforcement Department, NAFDAC, Lagos, Mr Kazeem Adeniran, made the call at a two-day enforcement exercise on Monday in Ota, Ogun.

The agency emphasized an agreement reached by a committee in 2018, stating that distillers should stop producing alcohol in sachets and PET bottles of less than 200ml starting from January 31.

The Assistant Chief Regulator Officer, Investigation and Enforcement Department, NAFDAC, Lagos, Mr Kazeem Adeniran, made the call at a two-day enforcement exercise on Monday in Ota, Ogun.

Adeniran, who said that the call was in line with the agreement reached by a tripartite committee set up in 2018, also stressed that part of the agreement was that distillers, under the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, DIBAN, should stop the production of alcohol in sachets and pet bottles of less than 200ml with effect from January 31.

VerseNews reports that the enforcement exercise was carried out in Ota and its environs to safeguard the lives of Nigerians.

Adeniran said that the Federal Ministry of Health had set up the committee in 2018, of which NAFDAC and DIBAN were members, with other stakeholders to curb abuse of alcohol, especially among the youth.

“These companies were still producing those alcohols below 200ml at the time we carried out this enforcement exercise, which is not supposed to be.

“It is clearly stated after the meeting in 2018 that they should stop the production of such alcohol in sachets and pet bottles by 2024 and embark on production of alcohol above 200ml,” he said.