The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its crackdown on sachet alcohol and other small-volume alcoholic drinks, revealing that they accounted for most of the N8bn worth of banned and adulterated products destroyed in the North-Central zone.
The agency said the restriction on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and bottles below 200ml was necessary because their affordability, availability and portability had encouraged abuse among young people and underage schoolchildren.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Thursday during the destruction of the seized products in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Represented by a Deputy Director in the zone, Joseph Edor, Adeyeye said the products were confiscated from manufacturing facilities, shops, markets and motor parks across the six states in the region.
She said other items destroyed included expired, counterfeit and adulterated food, medicines and cosmetics.
Explaining the rationale behind the alcohol restriction, the NAFDAC chief warned that early exposure to alcohol could cause serious damage to children's development and health.
“Research has shown that early exposure to alcohol affects the brain and other vital organs such as the liver and kidneys.
“It stymies the brain, resulting in mental retardation, brain damage, poor performance of pupils in school, low productivity and several types of illnesses,” she said.
Adeyeye said the seizures and destruction exercises were part of the agency's efforts to protect public health and prevent the circulation of dangerous products.
She also commended security and regulatory agencies for supporting NAFDAC's enforcement operations through intelligence sharing and security assistance.
The Nasarawa State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Dr Gyani Stephen, said the destruction exercise was not intended to hurt businesses but to save lives.
He warned traders involved in the sale of fake and prohibited products to desist or face the full consequences of the law.
Also speaking, the Nasarawa State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Daniel Saidu, represented by Yakubu Awoh, praised NAFDAC for removing dangerous products from circulation.
He warned that allowing the seized items into markets could have endangered millions of Nigerians and worsened mental health problems.
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