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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has reiterated its commitment to enforce the ban on sachet alcohol and codeine syrup, to prevent abuse and ensure public safety.
The Director-General/CEO NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement reads: “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) began enforcing the ban on alcohol sold in sachets and in less than 200ml PET bottles on February 1, 2024, following a five-year moratorium.
“This moratorium, agreed upon in December 2018, was signed by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), the Association of Food Beverage & Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), the Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). Despite advice from the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration to suspend the ban, NAFDAC awaits a directive from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
“On June 13, 2024, a meeting was held in the Speaker’s Office with the Director-General of NAFDAC and representatives from the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration.
“The committee again recommended suspending the ban, but the Director-General emphasised that it is a Ministerial Directive and requires further instruction from the Coordinating Minister. The Speaker’s representative, Prof. Jake Dan-Azumi, indicated that discussions would resume after the House returns from recess in July.
“Regarding the ban on codeine syrup, placed on May 1, 2018, by then-Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Folorunsho Adewole, NAFDAC reiterates that the ban remains in effect. Any reports suggesting that another Minister has lifted the ban are inaccurate and false. NAFDAC remains committed to enforcing this ban to prevent abuse and ensure public safety.”
