The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control said it would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute manufacturers of alcoholic drinks packed in sachets, plastics and glass bottles of 200mi and below.
This follows the expiration of the January 31, 2023 deadline given the manufacturers by the agency to stop the importation, manufacture, distribution, sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET, and glass bottles of 200ml and below.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye said this during a press conference in Abuja. Monday that some manufacturers have not adhered to the ban on such packaging of alcoholic drinks.
“This situation is of course not acceptable, and the agency views this as flagrant disobedience to the laws of Nigeria. NAFDAC views this matter seriously and will engage all statutory means, which may include prosecution, to deal with the matter.
“I want to use this medium to ask all holders of alcohol in sachets, PET and glass bottles, empty sachets, PET bottles, empty glass bottles, and other packaging materials of these banned products to immediately report to the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC for hand-over of same to NAFDAC for destruction, to prevent sterner measures including prosecution.
“As of January 31, 2023, there is no alcoholic beverage in these categories that are registered by NAFDAC. I also want to inform you that the agency has started enforcement actions to enforce the implementation of this policy. The window period given to manufacturers by NAFDAC to sell off all alcoholic drinks in this category elapsed on January 31, 2024.
“To this end on the first day, after the expiration of the window period, the agency commenced nationwide enforcement actions on February 1, 2024 to enforce the implementation of the new policy,” she said.
