The National Assembly Members have suspended the ban on spirits, alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles that was imposed by the National Agency on Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
According to the National Assembly members, the loss of jobs and hardship being created by the ban by NAFDAC outweigh the health concerns of NAFDAC.
To this end, the National Assembly through the House of Representatives committee on NAFDAC has lifted the ban on the sachets and pet bottle drinks and set up a committee to investigate the earlier ban with a view to safeguarding closure of more industries in the country.
The committee headed by Hon Regina Akume has ordered the suspension of the ban imposed by NAFDAC on the sale of spirits and alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles pending the outcome of its investigation on the matter.
The House Committee made the decision known after the public hearing on the NAFDAC ban on the 22nd February 2024 at the National Assembly Complex where the House Committee members including the Chairperson, Hon Regina Akume; the Deputy Chairman, Hon Idu Obiajulu; the Hon Minister of State for Health, Hon Tunji Alausa; the NAFDAC DG, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye; the DG of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi- Kadir, representatives of the Food, Beverage & Tobacco Employers and Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria; representatives of the spirits and alcoholic drinks producers; officials of the Nigerian Police Force; Customs and Excise; Federal Road Safety Corps; organised labour and civil society were present.
After hearing the NAFDAC DG who claimed that the ban was imposed to protect the health and welfare of the children, youths and other vulnerable groups, the House Committee aligned itself with the views of the producers, civil society and organised labour that the unemployment and hardship being occasioned by the closure of factories as a result of the ban far outweighed the health concerns of NAFDAC.
The national assembly members also observed that the proper step is to put access control procedures in place to prevent children and youths from consuming the alcoholic contents of the sachet and pet bottles.
With this in mind, the national assembly members through the House of Representatives moved for the suspension of the NAFDAC ban on the sachets and small bottle drinks pending the outcome of its investigation before adjourning proceedings.
