Reps Member Says NAFDAC Will Temporarily Lift Ban On Sachet Alcoholic Beverages Next Month

The  National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control  (NAFDAC) , will temporarily lift ban on satchet alcoholic beverages in the country next month . the deputy spokesman for the House of Representatives,  Rep Philip Agbese, has said.

He cited the current economic situation in the country.

Recall that NAFDAC had a few months ago banned the production and consumption of alcoholic  beverages in small sachets and bottles due to the  increasing cases of drug abuse in the country, especially among the  young people.

The House of Representatives had consequently on February 7, 2024, mandated its committee on NAFDAC to look into the issue sequel to the motion raised  by  Reps Paschal Agbodike and Philip Agbese during a plenary session.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Agbese  told journalists  on Friday  that the resolution to temporarily lift the ban in question was arrived at after a meeting between the House Committee and the NAFDAC officials.

He said, ‘We all agreed at the meeting that at a certain stage in history, we must move on with our counterparts across the globe. Nevertheless, at the moment, we agreed with NAFDAC that there would be a temporary lifting of the ban until the economy regains its strength’.

‘Recall that there was a motion before the parliament to investigate the activities leading to the ban placed by NAFDAC on the use and sale of sachet beverages in the country. The parliament in its wisdom delegated the House Committee on NAFDAC led by Hon Regina Akume to investigate the matter and report back to the parliament. The committee did carry out its legislative function as mandated by the parliament.

We had engagements with stakeholders including NAFDAC and the organized private sector involved. Resolutions were reached at that meeting based on the submissions made by the stakeholders, civil society organizations and other interested parties. Part of the recommendations before the parliament was that the ban was not timely given the current economic realities and coupled with the fact that the five-year moratorium granted by NAFDAC to the private sector, the advent of COVID-19 and other economic realities we are facing today did not permit the operators in the industry to comply with their terms.

After that, the parliament in its wisdom adopted the House Committee Report as a whole. Following the questions we received yesterday (Thursday) after the final meeting we had with the leadership of NAFDAC headed by Prof Mojisola Adeyeye; we all agreed as a government, parliament at one end and the executive in charge of that agency to, in the interest of the masses of our country and the mood of the nation, that the ban be suspended’ Agbese , who represents  Ado/Ogbadigbo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Benue state , added.

The  federal lawmaker  also disclosed  that modalities for the removal of the ban would be made public in July,, adding that ‘We agreed that in July, we will meet and she (NAFDAC’s Director General) would have worked out the modalities for the temporary removal of the ban’ .

Agbese also  rejected the notion that the lifting of the ban may lead to a spike in health risk due to the sale and consumption of alcohol in small sachets.

‘If you pick up a packet of cigarettes, you will see on it the inscription that cigarette smoking is dangerous to health. This warning is expressed  in diverse languages, yet, people still buy cigarettes to smoke. It is within people’s fundamental human rights to decide what they consume, especially adults who can make their own decisions.

The health implications of consuming sachet drinks, when people consume the same content in bottles, I think to be very mild, is hypocritical’ he said.

‘Part of the presentations we received in the course of the briefing is that those who earn lower income raised the issue of fundamental human rights, discrimination, harassment and victimization. If it is within people’s right to go to the supermarkets and buy choice loaves of bread with butter, we should in the same manner allow people to be able to afford their Agege bread.

We are now on the same page with NAFDAC. The health implication was not the reason the ban was placed. As for children consuming sachet drinks, what about codeine and other cough syrups being consumed by the children of the rich? These things are still sold in pharmaceutical shops. They are still there and nobody has placed a ban on them. This is one policy of government that was targeted at the poor’ he added-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you