The Senate has directed the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that no barriers obstruct the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in fully enforcing the ban on alcoholic drinks packaged in sachets across the country.
The resolution followed a motion by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong on the urgent need to halt further extension of the phase-out of alcoholic beverages in sachet packaging.
Presenting the motion, Senator Asuquo recalled that the Federal Government, after appeals from industry operators, approved an additional one-year moratorium in 2024 for manufacturers to exhaust existing stocks until December 2025.
He stressed that widespread youth access to cheap, high-alcohol sachet products contributes to addiction, impaired cognitive growth, school dropout, road accidents, domestic violence, and other social vices.
He expressed worries that pushing this moratorium further will impede the full enforcement of the extant powers and responsibilities of NAFDAC .
Senator Asuquo disturbed that continued delays in the enforcement of the prohibition will further saturate the market with high-strength alcoholic products packaged in sachet formats
This according to him is harmful, undermining years of regulatory efforts, public education, and progressive voluntary compliance
The senate therefore Mandated a
NAFDAC and relevant regulatory agencies not to grant any further extension to the moratorium scheduled to lapse in December 2025 .
And also ensure strict enforcement of the ban and prohibition of packaging high-strength alcohol in sachet formats in all parts of the country from December 2025 without delay.
Cov/ Bashir M
