After months of raging controversies over its planned enforcement of ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate bottles for health risk and other reasons, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday commenced its enforcement operation to remove the banned drinks from markets nationwide.
The agency, in a statement shared on X on Wednesday, disclosed that the exercise was in line with the Federal Government’s ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200 milli-litres.
According to the statement, NAFDAC explained that the enforcement exercise was aimed at curbing underage drinking, harmful alcohol consumption and substance abuse, particularly among children and young people in the country.
The agency maintained that the enforcement operation was being carried out across the six geopolitical zones following the closure of non-compliant manufacturing facilities.
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The NAFDAC clarified: “NAFDAC enforcement teams are conducting coordinated operations in markets, motor parks, retail outlets, bars, and other distribution channels to identify, seize, and remove banned products from circulation.”
It advised local manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, transporters and others marketing the banned alcoholic drink to immediately surrender any remaining stock of the banned products, warning that “continued possession or sale of the banned products constitutes a violation of the law and may attract seizure, regulatory sanctions, and prosecution.”
While appealing to members of the public to collaborate with it on the enforcement exercise, the agency urged members of the public to avoid purchasing the banned alcoholic beverages and reporting anyone producing, distributing or marketing them to its nearest office to them or through its dedicated hotline.
