The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says the production capacity of alcohol product in sachets has been reduced by 50 per cent.
Mr Sayo Akintola, the NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.
Akintola said that NAFDAC was currently monitoring the situation and had stopped issuing approval for registration of alcohol product in sachets.
According to him, this is part of the process to withdraw it from the Nigeria market.
Akintola said: “The status quo still remains, NAFDAC has given the order and very soon enforcement will commence the moment the deadline given to them expires.
Adeyeye also decried the negative effects of irresponsible alcohol consumption on public health and on the safety and the security of the public.
She said with the support of the Federal Ministry of Health, the concern also relates to the fact that alcohol “is also a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties.”
“NAFDAC, with the full support of the Federal Ministry of Health, has continued to exercise its regulatory responsibilities by ensuring that all alcoholic beverages and other regulated products approved by the agency meet set standards of quality, safety, and wholesomeness.
“The Federal Ministry of Health is concerned about the high incidence of substance and alcohol abuse in the country and NAFDAC, being the competent authority, and working with relevant stakeholders, is increasing efforts to stem this.
“With regard to alcohol, major stakeholders have been engaged at the highest level and are already sensitised on the issue.
“To this end, several interventions jointly agreed upon by major stakeholders are being undertaken and as a first step, no new products in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles above 30 per cent ABV will be registered by NAFDAC.
“Furthermore, to reduce availability and curb abuse, effective Jan. 31, 2020, producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume PET and glass bottles are to reduce production by 50 per cent of capacity prior to January 2020.
“The overall goal is a complete phase-out of high concentration alcohol in sachet and small PET and glass bottles in line with the agreed roadmap or earlier,” Adeyeye said. (NAN)
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