National Agency on Food, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles has been put on hold by the House of Representatives.
Regina Akume who is the chairman house committee on NAFDAC disclosed Friday that the suspension of the ban was to enable a proper investigation into the effect of NAFDAC’s action on the economy, manufacturers and consumers. She stressed the need for some kind of control measure that would prevent underage from having access to alcohol.
Speaking during Friday’s hearing , NAFDAC, Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye said the ban was imposed to protect the health and welfare of children, youths, and other vulnerable groups.
“We tried to protect the market, and that was why we agreed to a five-year moratorium for the manufacturers to phase out alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles in December 2018
“The World Health Organisation had a resolution in 2010, in which Nigeria was a co-signer, that each country will have alcohol that is less reachable and less accessible to the youth, and nothing has been done about that until now.
“It is very unfortunate we are where we are now because the children who are used to taking alcohol will also become vulnerable to drug abuse.”
Mr Segun Ajayi Kadilimni, Director General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), however, said there was no major basic disagreement between it and NAFDAC.
He added that MAN remained committed to protecting youth and children from accessing alcohol.
Kadilimni said the issue remained how to protect the underage, saying, “We have realised that there is a process to get there, but banning the product will be counterproductive.”
According to him, this is because you are going to open the market to producers of illicit drugs, and these are people you cannot control.
“I believe if we work together, we will be able to eradicate underage access. These sachets are not produced for children but for adults, and they have been warned not to consume them.”
The committee, however, adjourned indefinitely.
