ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The House of Representatives has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to enforce its resolution asking it to lift the ban on sachet alcohol and Pet bottles.
This was announced on Wednesday by the Chairman, House Committee on NAFDAC, Regina Akume, at a news conference in Abuja.
The House had earlier urged NAFDAC to lift the ban on sachet alcohol and PET bottles, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
“The ban should be lifted because the timing is inappropriate, the economy is struggling, the unemployment rate is staggering, and the inflation rate is soaring,’’ Akume said.
Also, she said that the poverty level was on the increase with paucity of forex which frustrates business activities.
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Akume also stated that rather the ban should be replaced with enforcement of prescribed regulations and access control such as establishment of licensed liquor stores and outlets in Local Government Areas nationwide.
She opined that NAFDAC should make it unlawful to send under aged people to purchase alcoholic beverages, adding that there should be strict enforcement of the law by relevant agencies.
Akume further advocated increased monitoring and compliance checks by NAFDAC, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and others to ensure product quality and safety compliance.
She said the legislation approach should be adapted to encourage recycling of the materials for the promotion of the green economy.
This, according to her, would go a long way in minimising importation of raw materials used in producing these Pet bottles and sachets, thus conserving the forex.
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Recall that the House had resolved that the ban was counterproductive and against the spirit and letters of the Constitution and also against the Economic recovery Plan of the current administration.
According to the House, it is sequel to the numerous economic challenges confronting poor Nigerians.
The House said the ban on the production of the said beverage would cause job losses and increase economic difficulties.