Members of the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria have said they are storming the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to protest against the ban on the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in sachets.
The association said the protest would hold today (Tuesday)
at NAFDAC Office on the Lagos-Oshodi Apapa Expressway, Isolo, Lagos.
“We are extending our invitation to you to attend the
peaceful protest on NAFDAC’s ban on alcoholic beverage drinks in sachets and
pet bottles,” the notice said.
The association’s reaction came shortly after the Director
General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye,announced on Monday that the agency
would begin the enforcement of the ban on the importation, manufacture,
distribution, sale, and use of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET, and glass
bottles of 200ml and below.
Adeyeye also said that NAFDAC would collaborate with the
National Union of Road Transport Workers to enforce the ban.
She said, “We intend to work with the NURTW to ensure the
enforcement of the banned products. We surely will work on that, and ensure
that they are stopped and phased out.”
The NAFDAC DG, at a press conference in Abuja on Monday,
said the agency had commenced the enforcement of the ban on the importation,
manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of alcoholic beverages in sachets,
PET, and glass bottles of 200ml and below.
“As of January 31st, 2024, 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 31st, 2024.
“To this end on the first day, after the elapse of the
window period, the agency commenced nationwide enforcement actions on February
1st, 2024 to enforce the implementation of the new policy,” she said.
She noted that during enforcement actions, it was discovered
that some manufacturers of these banned products were still in production of
the products, and still had stacks of both finished products and packaging
materials of the products in their possession.
“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,” she declared.
In January 2022, NAFDAC stopped the registration of
alcoholic beverages in sachet and small volume PET and glass bottles below
200ml.
This decision was based on the recommendation of a
high-powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC, the
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and the Industry
represented by the Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers,
Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, in December 2018.
As a result of the decision reached at the end of the
committee meeting, producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to
reduce the production by five per cent with effect from January 31st, 2022,
while ensuring the product is completely phased out in the country by January
31st, 2024.
“NAFDAC committed to ensuring that the validity of renewal
of already registered alcoholic products in the affected category does not
exceed the year 2024.
“NAFDAC is resolutely committed to the strict implementation
of the regulations and regulatory measures towards safeguarding the health of
Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable youth, against the dangers of reckless
consumption of alcohol,” Adeyeye assured.
The don warned that the people mostly at risk of the
negative effects of consumption of the banned pack sizes of alcoholic beverages
are the under-aged, commercial vehicle drivers and riders.
“The World Health Organisation has established that children
who drink alcohol are more likely to use drugs, get bad grades, suffer injury
or death, engage in risky sexual activity, make bad decisions, and have health
problems. The WHO also stated that harmful consumption of alcohol is linked to
more than 200 health conditions including infectious diseases – Tuberculosis
and HIV/AIDS; and non-communicable conditions- liver cirrhosis and different
types of cancer.
“It is also associated with social problems, such as alcohol
addiction and gender-based violence.
“To curb the menace of abuse of alcohol, WHO recommended
some actions and strategies to policymakers that have shown to be effective and
cost-effective, which includes regulating the marketing of alcoholic beverages,
and regulating and restricting the availability of alcohol,” she said.