By Maryanne Awuya
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has defended the Federal Government’s ban on sachet alcoholic drinks and PET bottles below 200ml, saying the policy is designed to protect children from alcohol abuse rather than prohibit alcohol consumption.
Speaking during a Channel television interview on Thursday monitored by Persecondnews, Adeyeye said the smaller pack sizes make it easier for underage children to conceal alcohol from parents and teachers, increasing the risk of early addiction.
“We are doing this because of the children, not because of adults,” she said, adding:“Adults have mature sense to determine when enough is enough. Children don’t.”
She warned that exposing children to alcohol at an early age could have serious consequences for Nigeria’s future workforce and public health.
“When a child starts drinking from five years old or nine years old, that is Nigeria without a future. Health is wealth,” she said.
Adeyeye explained that alcohol itself has not been banned, stressing that only sachets and PET bottles below 200ml were prohibited under the Federal Government’s policy.
She also revealed that manufacturers had been aware of the policy since 2018 and were granted six years to adjust their business plans before full enforcement commenced.