The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday sealed three alcoholic beverage-producing factories in Jos, for not complying with good manufacturing practices and operating without NAFDAC certification.
Mr. Umar Suleiman, the Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Federal Task Force Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, NAFDAC, disclosed this when he led a team on the raid in Jos.
Suleiman said that one of the factories was also sealed for producing banned alcoholic beverages, adding that it also produced other products without the agency’s registration.
He said that Bemag Industries Nigeria Ltd. and Good Life Global Beverages Ltd. were sealed for non-adherence to good manufacturing practices.
He revealed that Stevenson Multi Global Ltd. was sealed for producing banned alcoholic beverages in sachets worth N6 million, adding that the agency sealed it for non-adherence to good manufacturing practices and for producing without the agency’s registration.
Suleiman, who said that the raid was conducted nationwide followed the Jan. 31, 2024 deadline given by the agency in 2018 to producers of alcoholic beverages to desist from producing alcohol in 100ml. 20ml, 30 ml and in sachets.
He said the move was to help reduce the menace of alcohol abuse in the nation especially among the youth.
Suleiman cautioned producers of alcoholic beverages to desist from producing what had been banned by the agency as the raid was continuous.
He cautioned sellers to desist from selling alcoholic beverages in sachets, small volume plastic and glass bottles from 100ml and below.
Suleiman also warned the public to desist from purchasing products without NAFDAC certification, as most of the products without NAFDAC certification were not good for human consumption.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency has stopped the registration of alcohol in sachets and small volume PET and Glass bottles below 200ml amidst other stringent regulatory measures.
This followed the recommendation of the committee of the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in December 2018, to reduce the availability and curb abuse of alcohol in the country.
(NAN)
