From Enugu, IKECHUKWU NNADI writes that while sachet-borne alcoholic drinks-driven alcoholism continues to destroy lives and livelihoods across, a resolution between NAFDAC and the National Assembly (NASS) as to the best policy framework to contain the ravages of alcoholism is imperative.
For Mrs. Agnes Ugwuanyi, life now means little: amid uncontrollable sobbing inside a patent medicine shop where she had gone to buy some drugs for her last child, she told Daily Query that she has lost everything useful to her in life. Mrs. Ugwuanyi’s husband, Raphael, died of kidney disease complications caused by excessive intake of alcoholic beverages.
“When we went to the hospital a few years
before his death, doctors had warned him seriously to desist from alcohol intake, particularly alcohol beverages sold in sachets, but my husband didn’t want to hear,” the distraught widow lamented.
“The last hospital we went to confirmed that his health had
deteriorated so much that it had become incurable. He died in November last year and since his death, my life has been shattered. He died leaving behind four children for me to take care of even as I have nothing tangible doing. He was the breadwinner and everything I had.”
Until his death, 41-year old Jude was a commercial motorbike
operator popularly known as Okada, after dropping out from JSS 3 at Model Secondary, Nsukka, Enugu State.
Ironically, despite knowing that Raphael died as a
result of alcohol addiction, his peers/contemporaries and most others consoled themselves by ingesting dozens of sachets of both licensed and unlicensed alcoholic beverages as he was being committed to mother earth.
Daily Query reports that the late Raphael, a native of Ibagwa-Aka, Igbo-Eze south LGA of Enugu State, lost his battle with multiple organ failure arising from Alcohol Use
Disorder (AUD), better known as alcohol addiction, or Alcohol Dependence Syndrome (ADS).
Before his death, Raphael and Cajethan Okechukwu were close friends living at Nru community, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. Cajethan was a tricycle operator while Rapheal was a bricklayer. Unfortunately, the two died three months apart, arising from complications as a result of alcoholism.
While Cajethan 44 –year-old Ebonyi-state-born Keke rider left behind three children, Raphael left four children.
Checks by our Enugu State correspondent showed that this ugly trend of sachets-borne alcoholic beverages-driven alcoholism cuts across all ages and social spectrums, with its attendant implications, particularly in the South East zone.
For instance, Chukwudi is a commercial bus driver who plies from Holy Ghost to Ugwu Aji axis in Enugu, the Enugu State capital. Every morning, he consumes two sachets of alcoholic beverages, along with two sticks of cigarettes, before going out for the day’s work.
According to the 47-year old Anambra-born Chukwudi, the beverages and the cigarette consumption helps him to “see clearly” while driving.
While commercial drivers like Chukwudi continue to hold this erroneous belief that alcoholic beverage and cigarette consumption helps them in “seeing clearly” while driving, they certainly don’t know the grave consequences of such belief.
Among all other consequences, medical experts say such a habit could cause micro-sleep, a situation where the driver takes about five to ten seconds to nap while driving, a situation that can endanger the lives of both the driver and his passengers.
How sachet hot drink beverages breed alcoholism in Nigeria
Since the introduction of packaging water and alcoholic drinks in sachets, there would appear to have been an upsurge in alcoholism in Nigeria.
Daily Query checks showed that many Nigerians who formerly and ordinarily were not indulging in alcoholic drinks took to sachet alcoholic drinks as they are deceptively packaged in small quantities, making them believe that consuming such small quantities was unlikely to lead to intoxication.
However, it was gathered that, gradually, quite inexorably, many of such people ended up being alcohol addicts.
By and large, further investigations by our Correspondent equally showed that usually when youths gather in most rural and urban locations, especially for non-religious activities in most parts of the country, hardly will you see them without sachets of alcoholic beverages loaded in their pockets or pigeon holes in their vehicles.
Where they are without such, dealers in sachet alcoholic beverages, who are spread across most parts of the country are always on hand to make the supply chain seamless.
Worse still, even at many traditional and cultural occasions like traditional marriage rites, cultural day, ofala festival, burials and or funerals and many such occasions, alcohol beverage companies are usually part-sponsors of such occasions with their products handy for the guests.
Again, recent findings by our reporter also revealed that vicinities and precincts of sensitive institutions, including schools, hospitals, and government offices, as well as motor parks and garages where millions of youths make a living, are dotted with outlets selling and distributing all forms of alcoholic beverages, with little or no restriction from the authorities concerned.
Lack of National Alcohol policy and awareness creation about health consequences of alcoholism
Experts define alcoholism as the drinking of alcohol to the point that causes problems, and continuing to drink even after problems arise. The absence of a National Alcohol Policy, lack of standard drink measurements, or low-risk drinking guidelines (LRDG) in the country, stakeholders insist, has impacted the country negatively despite the proliferation of industry-sponsored Responsible Drinking Message
(RDM).
Till today, there is no clear legislation against alcoholism in Nigeria. By and large, further manifestation of the negative consequences of the above, can also be seen from the 2023 World Health Statistics key messages on alcohol.
The statistics revealed that there is a high rate of the
abuse in Nigeria with its attendant implications. Some of the dire health challenges brought about by alcohol abuse
include liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, mental health problems, violence and injuries and poor productivity, among others.
Matters are made worse by the fact that research by experts indicates that more than half (53 per cent) of Nigerians aged 15 years and above are alcohol consumers; 47 per cent are abstainers, a category that includes people who have never had any alcoholic drink and those who used to drink but stopped for religious, health or cultural reasons.
NAFDAC regulations on sachet alcohol drinks
In January, 2022 following the seemingly uncontrollable level of proliferation, the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), placed a ban on new registration for alcoholic drinks produced in sachets and small bottles with more than 30 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). This came in the wake of recommendations by the committee of the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in December 2018.
In a statement released by the Agency to enforce the ban, no new registration will be entertained by January 2024. NAFDAC boss, Prof. Moji Adeyeye in a statement released said that the ban would take effect by January, 2024.
“In a decisive move to reduce availability and curb abuse of alcohol in the country, the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has stopped the registration of alcohol in Sachet and Small volume PET and Glass bottles below 200ml amidst other stringent regulatory measures,” the statement read, in part.
“The Agency will ensure that validity of renewal of already registered alcoholic products in the affected category will not exceed the year 2024.
“The Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria was also given a marching order to embark on intensive nationwide sensitization campaigns against underage consumption of alcohol by adolescents below the age of 18 years in the bid to stem the tide of alcohol abuse in the country.
“Producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to reduce production by 50% with effect from January 31st 2020 while ensuring the products are completely phased out in the country by 31st January, 2024.
“Even as we grapple with the containment of COVID-19 Pandemic NAFDAC is resolutely committed to the strict implementation of the regulations and regulatory measures towards safeguarding the Health of Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable youths against the dangers of reckless consumption of alcohol.”
NAFDAC ban in 2024
However, on Monday January 5, 2024, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) again banned the sales of alcoholic beverages in small pack volumes of 200ml and sachets.
In a press statement by the organization, made available to journalists in a post on its official X page and signed by the agency’s Director-General, Professor Adeyeye, the agency reiterated:
“The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in January 2022 stopped the registration of alcoholic beverages in sachet and small volume PET and Glass bottles below 200ml.
“This decision was based on the recommendation of a high-powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC on one hand, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the Industry represented by the Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), in December 2018, (on the other).
“As commitment to the decision reached at the end of this Committee meeting, producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to reduce the production by 5 percent with effect from 31st January 2022 while ensuring the product is completely phased out in the country by 31st January 2024.
“On the part of the Agency, NAFDAC committed to ensuring that the validity of renewal of already registered alcoholic products in the affected category does not exceed the year 2024.
“The people who are mostly at risk of the negative effect of
consumption of the banned pack sizes of alcoholic beverages are the under-aged and commercial vehicle drivers and riders.
“The World Health Organization has established that children who drink alcohol are more likely to: use drugs, get bad grades, suffer injury or death, engage in risky sexual activity, make bad decisions, and have health problems.
“The World Health Organization also stated that harmful consumption of alcohol is linked to more than 200 health conditions including infectious diseases (tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS) and non-communicable conditions (liver cirrhosis and different types of cancer). It is also associated with social problems such as alcohol addiction and gender-based violence.
“To curb the menace of abuse of alcohol the World Health Organization recommended some actions and strategies to Policy -Makers that have shown to be effective and cost-effective, which includes: regulating the marketing of alcoholic beverages (in particular to younger people) and regulating and restricting the availability of alcohol.
“The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC) was established by Act Cap N1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2014 to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, bottled water, detergent, and chemicals
(referred to as regulated products).
“Alcoholic drinks in sachets, PET, and Glass bottles are
pocket-friendly and can easily be carried around, by the under-aged (including primary and secondary school children) without notice.
“It is easily affordable and comes in handy for commercial bus drivers, keke riders, okada riders, etc who after taking them constitute a nuisance to society.
“The negative impact of the harmful consumption of alcohol which is occasioned by its being economical, easily accessible, and miniature in nature, prompted NAFDAC to take the bold step of banning it, to save our children and to protect the health of the larger society.
“The main reason for calling this Press conference is to inform you of the government’s policy of banning the importation, manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET, and glass bottles of 200ml and below.
“As of the 31st January 2024, there is no alcoholic beverage in these categories that are registered by NAFDAC. I also want to inform you that the Agency has started enforcement actions to enforce the implementation of this policy. The window period given to manufacturers by NAFDAC to sell off all alcoholic drinks in this category elapsed on the 31st of January 2024.
“To this end on the first day, after the elapse of the window period, the Agency commenced nationwide enforcement actions on the 1st February 2024 to enforce the implementation of the new policy.
“The manufacturers and printers of labels and packaging materials were the initial targets.
“It will surprise you to know that in the course of the enforcement actions it was discovered that some manufacturers of these banned products were still in production of the banned products and still had stacks of both finished products and packaging materials of the products in their possession.
“This situation is, of course, not acceptable, and the Agency views this as flagrant disobedience to the laws of Nigeria. NAFDAC views this matter seriously and will engage all statutory means, which may include prosecution, to deal with the matter.
“I want to use this medium to ask all holders of alcohol in sachets, PET and Glass bottles, empty sachets, PET bottles, empty Glass bottles, and other packaging materials of these banned products to immediately report to the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC for hand-over of same to NAFDAC for destruction, to prevent sterner measures including prosecution.
“NAFDAC is resolutely committed to the strict implementation of the regulations and regulatory measures towards safeguarding the health of
Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable youth, against the dangers of reckless consumption of alcohol.”
NASS suspends the ban
On February 23, 2024, following the reactions generated by the ban, the National Assembly Members suspended the ban on spirits, alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles that was imposed by the NAFDAC.
According to the National Assembly members, the loss of jobs and hardship being created by the ban by NAFDAC outweigh the health concerns of NAFDAC.
To this end, the National Assembly through the House of
Representatives committee on NAFDAC lifted the ban on the sachets and pet bottle drinks and set up a committee to investigate the earlier ban with a view to safeguarding closure of more industries in the country.
The committee headed by Hon Regina Akume has ordered the suspension of the ban imposed by NAFDAC on the sale of spirits and alcoholic drinks in sachets and pet bottles pending the outcome of its investigation on the matter.
The House Committee made the decision known after the public hearing on the NAFDAC ban on the 22nd February 2024 at the National Assembly Complex where the House Committee members including the Chairperson,
Hon Regina Akume; the Deputy Chairman, Hon Idu Obiajulu; the then Hon Minister of State for Health, Hon Tunji Alausa (now Minister of Education); the NAFDAC DG, Prof
Mojisola Adeyeye; the DG of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi- Kadir, representatives of the Food, Beverage & Tobacco Employers and Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria; representatives of the spirits and alcoholic drinks producers; officials of the Nigerian Police Force; Customs and Excise; Federal Road Safety Corps; organised labour and civil society were present.
After hearing the NAFDAC DG who claimed that the ban was imposed to protect the health and welfare of the children, youths and other vulnerable groups, the House Committee aligned itself with the views of the producers, civil society and organised labour that the unemployment and hardship being occasioned by the closure of factories
as a result of the ban far outweighed the health concerns of NAFDAC.
The national assembly members also observed that the proper step is to put access control procedures in place to prevent children and youths from consuming the alcoholic contents of the sachet and pet bottles.
With this in mind, the national assembly members through the House of Representatives moved for the suspension of the NAFDAC ban on the sachets and small bottle drinks pending the outcome of its investigation before adjourning proceedings.
While the country awaits the total ban on the registration and intake of the alcohol beverages in sachet drinks, it is still unclear how the youths and, indeed, the addicts will react to it.
But what is clear is that the nation is currently bearing the brunt of alcoholism as millions of citizens fall victims of its dire consequences.
