Sachet alcohol ban: activists protest at NAFDAC Lagos office
Consumer rights advocates on Monday stormed the Lagos office of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to protest the planned enforcement of a ban on sachet alcoholic beverages. The demonstration was organised by the Coalition for the Protection of Consumers’ Rights and led by Comrade Olufemi Lawson. Lawson criticised the proposed enforcement as economically insensitive and poorly timed, warning it could worsen unemployment and hardship. He argued that manufacturers, distributors and consumers would all be hit, and questioned the policy’s consistency given that many of the affected products were previously tested, registered and approved by NAFDAC. He insisted that underage drinking is an enforcement problem, not a product problem, noting that sachet drinks are clearly labelled “not for sale to persons under 18”. The coalition also disputed claims of excessively high alcohol content, saying licensed […]