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