Sachet Alcohol Is A Monster Destroying Our Children’s Future — NAFDAC DG

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has described sachet alcohol as a “monster” that has become uncontrollable and poses a serious threat to the future of Nigerian children.

Adeyeye said alcohol abuse could cause severe damage to vital organs, including the brain, kidneys and liver, while also contributing to social problems such as banditry.

The NAFDAC boss stated this on Wednesday while speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, during a discussion on the resistance the agency has faced over its ban on the production and sale of sachet alcohol and alcoholic drinks in small-volume containers.

According to her, NAFDAC was not surprised by the pushback from manufacturers, distributors and other stakeholders because measures designed to protect public health often affect vested economic interests.

“When you do something right, something that safeguards the health of our people, something that fosters trade, you will step on toes and receive pushback. NAFDAC is not surprised by the pushback,” Adeyeye said.

She explained that sachet alcohol was approved for production about three decades ago, but argued that the consequences of its widespread availability could not have been fully anticipated at the time.

“Sachet alcohol was approved about maybe 30 years ago. And when it was approved, I don’t think my predecessor that did the approval knew what was going to happen. But this monster became uncontrollable,” she said.

Adeyeye said the agency was particularly concerned about the accessibility of small-sized alcoholic drinks to young people and the potential impact on the country’s future workforce.

“This monster stood out to destroy the future of our workforce, of our children,” she added.

The NAFDAC DG said the agency consequently moved to enforce the ban on sachet alcohol as well as alcoholic drinks packaged in containers of less than 200 millilitres.

She disclosed that NAFDAC had shut down three major companies for three weeks as part of its enforcement activities and secured irrevocable undertakings from manufacturers not to produce alcohol in sachets or small-volume containers below the prescribed threshold.

Adeyeye acknowledged that the enforcement measures had generated resistance among some industry stakeholders, but maintained that the agency’s priority was to protect Nigerians, particularly children and young people.

She also referenced the National Alcohol Policy launched by the Federal Ministry of Health, noting that the policy provides for restrictions on sachet alcohol and alcoholic drinks in PET bottles and other containers below 200 millilitres.

According to her, despite the policy and NAFDAC’s enforcement efforts, some groups had continued to protest the ban.

She cited demonstrations in Ibadan, saying the protesters were focused on the immediate economic implications of the ban without sufficiently considering its long-term consequences for public health and society.

“They are not seeing into the future that alcohol destroys the brain, it destroys the lungs, it destroys the kidney, the liver, it encourages banditry,” Adeyeye said.

She argued that the debate surrounding sachet alcohol should therefore not be limited to the economic interests of manufacturers and distributors, but should also consider the health and social costs associated with alcohol abuse.

The NAFDAC boss maintained that the agency’s decision to restrict sachet and small-volume alcohol was driven by the need to prevent easy access to alcoholic drinks and protect the younger generation from the harmful consequences of alcohol consumption.

Adeyeye said the pushback against the ban would not deter NAFDAC from enforcing measures it considers necessary to safeguard public health.