TheCable

The federal government has issued directives targeted at phasing out the sale and consumption of alcohol in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.

Mojisola Adeyeye, director-general of the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), disclosed this in a statement.

Adeyeye said uncontrolled access and availability of high concentration alcohol in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles contribute to substance and alcohol abuse in Nigeria.

She added that NAFDAC and the ministry of health have engaged major shareholders and have reached certain agreements.

She said the food agency will no longer register new products in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles with contents above 30 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

“These concerns relate to negative effects of irresponsible alcohol consumption on public health and on the safety and security of the public, alcohol being a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties, ” she said.

“In regard to alcohol, major stakeholders have been engaged at the highest level and are already sensitised to 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 January 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 sachets and small PET and glass bottles in line with the agreed roadmap or earlier.”