If you still buy those small sachet alcoholic drinks, you might want to look elsewhere. NAFDAC says the ban is here to stay and enforcement has already started.

Well, it is official. The ban on sachet alcoholic drinks is not going anywhere.

According to cbinews.tv, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has reaffirmed its position that small-volume alcoholic drinks remain banned in Nigeria.

The South East Zonal Director of the agency, Dr Festus Ukadike, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Enugu on Friday. He revealed that the crackdown has already begun, with NAFDAC targeting manufacturers and distributors.

Ukadike said arrests and seizures have already been made across the South East zone, including Enugu, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra. He added that the next phase will be to mop up the remaining products still circulating in the market.

For those worried about businesses, he clarified that companies can still produce alcohol, but not in anything less than 200ml per bottle.

So why the hard stance? According to cbinews.tv, NAFDAC says it is all about protecting children. The agency noted that easy access to cheap sachet alcohol has fuelled unhealthy drinking habits among young people.

“If our children are no longer exposed to sachet alcohol, they will live healthier lives, curb antisocial behaviours and promote the country’s fight against cancer and other terminal diseases,” Ukadike said.

He also advised consumers to cut down on their alcohol intake, insisting that missing out on sachet drinks is not such a terrible thing. And on concerns about affordability for low-income earners, he was blunt: public health must come before commercial interest.

He projected that within 12 months, Nigeria should have a standard regulatory landscape with no alcohol sold in packaging less than 200ml.

Meanwhile, reactions have been mixed. While some consumers have welcomed the move, others fear it will make alcohol less affordable. One consumer, Mr Charles Otubo, argued the ban should be restricted to motor parks to prevent highway accidents.

Another consumer, identified simply as Godwin, supported the ban, saying he had seen school children buying sachet drinks and hiding them in their school bags. He suggested such drinks should only be sold in licensed liquor stores.

Credit: cbinews.tv

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