The House of Representatives Committee on the National Agency on Food, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has ordered the suspension of the ban on the sale of spirits and alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles.

Rep. Regina Akume, Chairman, the House Committee on NAFDAC said this in Abuja after a public hearing on the ban of the product on Friday, February 23.

According to Akume, there were proper steps to take before the ban, to prevent children and youths from consuming the alcoholic contents of the sachet and pet bottles.

In January 2022, NAFDAC said it halted the registration of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small-volume PET and glass bottles below 200ml.

Speaking earlier on Friday, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, Director General, NAFDAC, said the ban was imposed to protect the health and welfare of children, youths, and other vulnerable groups.

“We tried to protect the market, and that was why we agreed to a five-year moratorium for the manufacturers to phase out alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles in December 2018.

Adeyeye said that, in spite of the agreement on the ban on alcohol in sachets and pet bottles, manufacturers still continued production.

She said the agency was not against the production of alcoholic drinks but alcohol in sachets and pet bottles, to wade off children from unnecessary access.