The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) yesterday began the enforcement of its ban of alcoholic beverages packaged in small sachets across the country.
The agency carried out the enforcement in different parts of the country and arrested violators of its laws.
In Jos, the Plateau State capital, it sealed three alcoholic beverage producing factories for not complying with good manufacturing practices and operating without its certification.
NAFDAC’s Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Federal Task Force Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Umar Suleiman, announced this when he led a team on the raid in Jos.
Suleiman said one of the factories was also sealed for producing banned alcoholic beverages, adding that it also produced other products without the agency’s registration.
NAFDAC officials also sealed a bakery in Sokoto over repackaging of other products and operating in poor sanitary environment.
The agency’s State Coordinator Garba Adamu said the unregistered bakery was shut with the assistance of security men.
Adamu said the owner of the bakery had been arrested and sanctioned accordingly, adding that the materials he used were also confiscated.
He said the owner had also been educated and guided on how to register his products according to stipulated guidelines.
NAFDAC officials were also at some factories where alcoholic beverages were being produced in banned sachets, pets and glass bottles of 100ml and below in Osogbo, Ilesa, and Ile-Ife, all in Osun State.
Speaking during the enforcement operation, the Assistant Director of NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate for Lagos, Mr. Dare Moses, said the licences for production of sachet alcoholic drinks of 100ml and below had expired since 31 January.
Moses said the ban had become necessary due to the abuse of the alcoholic drinks by Nigerians, especially the youth.
He said due to their low quantity and affordability, many young Nigerians were abusing them, which was affecting their mental health.
Also, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Food, Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) held a peaceful protest against NAFDAC’s directive to shut down companies manufacturing alcoholic sachet drinks.
The protest took place in front of NAFDAC’s office at Plot 1, Industrial Estate, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Isolo, Lagos State.
TUC Vice President Emmanuel Idogen said a lot of people had been rendered jobless, following the shutdown of some factories by the regulatory agency.
The union leader noted that though he was not against NAFDAC carrying out its duty, shutting down the livelihood of thousands of people at a time of economic hardship was inhumane.
“We all know the economic hardship we are facing in the country presently. The price of fuel has increased, the prices of food are increasing on a daily basis and there is inflation.
“Some of the people earn their living to feed their families and dependents from the factory that you have shut down.
“Invariably, there will be more families exposed to hunger. I believe this will have a negative impact on the society.
“We are appealing to NAFDAC to suspend the directive to shut down the production of alcoholic sachets drinks for the posterity of the masses”, he said.
