Despite the directives given by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to manufacturers of sachet liquor to recall the drinks or get their plants shut, investigations by the Nigerian Tribune have revealed that sales of this size of alcoholic beverages still continue unhindered.
NAFDAC had, last week, warned manufacturers of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET plastics bottles below 200ml that it would permanently shut down their facilities if the ban on such contents were not complied with, while insisting that the ban had taken effect from January this year.
But investigations by Nigerian Tribune revealed that the beverages are still being sold in many parts of the country, in spite of the warning.
For instance, visits to parts of Lagos and Ogun States revealed that there were not such efforts at complying with the agency’s directives since sachet alcoholic beverages were seen displayed at strategic parts of the city by traders dealing in the business.
For instance, in Iyana Ipaja, Abule Egba, Ikeja, Obalende, Ikotun and many other places in Lagos visited by Nigerian Tribune, those items were publicly displayed, with the traders patiently waiting for those who patronise such goods.
More interesting to the correspondent is the fact that at Iyana Ipaja, in Lagos, some of them were even displayed very close to motor parks, with some drivers seen making purchases from sellers.
The same thing happened in Ogun State. The drinks ranging from bitters to spirits were displayed in places like Sango, Oju Ore, Canaan Land and several bus stops in Ota, Ado Odo Local Government Council, with many of the traders claiming ignorance of NAFDAC’s directive that the items had been slated for a recall by the manufacturers.
One of the traders who volunteered information to Nigerian Tribune stated that the channels she normally gets her supply from still supplied her products last week.
‘While we know that there is ban on the items, but we’ve been assured that it is being sorted out. So, we are not aware of this recent information,’ she added.
The trader, who would not want her name mentioned, would, however, want government to temper justice with mercy.
‘Many of us in this business have no other job except this. And if you are saying we should not sell these things again, what next for us?’ she asked rhetorically.
Interestingly, investigations by the Nigerian Tribune among traders of the liquor revealed that the drinks remain one of the fastest-selling in that category due to their cost efficiency and portability.
While attempts at getting a response from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) regarding the latest development were not successful as at the time of going to the press, investigations among manufacturers of these sachet alcoholic beverages revealed fresh fears and concerns about a possible downtime this might cause the business, the manufacturing sector and the nation’s economy.
According to one of the operators, who also would not want his name in print, besides leading to job losses, complying with the directive would also see huge resources deployed to buying the machines being used to produce the products go down the drain.
‘The fact remains that the machines are only meant for such products, and they cost a lot of money. If we are saying we should shut it down, that means a lot of jobs would be lost and the machines used for the production rendered useless since they are not convertible,’ he stated.
According to him, shutting down the factory and banning the product would not solve the issue, but rather compound the issue.
He expressed the fear that such ban might result in the market being saturated with adulterated sachet alcohol beverages.