NAFDAC Descends on Producers of
Some of the packaging items discovered at the sealed factories in Ogun State
By Kemi Akintokun
Lagos: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed three factories for producing banned sachet and PET bottles below 200ml alcoholic drinks in Ogun State.′
Mr Kunle Ojo, an Assistant Director in NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, told newsmen on Monday, that the enforcement followed continued production of alcoholic products in packaging prohibited under existing regulatory directives.
The enforcement was carried out in Sango-Ota and Idi-Iroko axis.
Ojo said that the factories sealed were Intercontinental Distilleries Ltd., Shashi Distillery Ltd. and an undisclosed factory owned by Nigeria Distillery Ltd.
He said that the undisclosed factory was discovered as a result of the agency’s ongoing second phase of nationwide enforcement of the Federal Government’s ban on the products.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency began enforcement on the ban of sachet and 200ml PET bottle alcoholic drinks in January.
Ojo said that officials earlier visited Nigeria Distillery Ltd. at Kilometre 14, Idi-Iroko Road, but found nothing, thereafter, received intelligence report on the company’s undisclosed factory on July 24.
He said that prohibited packing materials of banned pet alcohol beverages below 200ml and sachet nylon were discovered, describing it as mind-boggling.
“We discovered uncountable 100ml alcoholic bottles, packaging materials for sachets and already producing sachet alcohol still on production machines at the facility.
“We also noticed today that after sealing the factory some of the items we found on Friday are missing, this is a serious violation and it will be dealt with administratively,” Ojo said.
He said that the agency had previously visited Intercontinental Distilleries and Shashi in January to stop the use of 22 machines producing sachet alcoholic drinks and evacuated packaging materials for alcohol beverages below 200ml.
Ojo noted that during its visit on July 24, the agency discovered old packaging materials for alcohol beverages below 200ml at the factories prompting NAFDAC to seal the factory.
“When we came in last week, we discovered old packaging materials and those machines we placed on hold were producing the banned products again.
“This is exactly why we decided to close down the entire factory because what NAFDAC said they should not produce, they are secretly producing,” he said.
Ojo said that NAFDAC would continue to intensified effort to sanitise the country of banned products to safeguard public health.
He urged Nigerians to report any suspicious activity on production of such banned alcohol production to the nearest NAFDAC office. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)
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Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.
Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars. He was an outstanding NAN Defence and War Correspondent for many years.
The retired NAN Acting Boss holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency.
As ECOMOG Press Secretary, Biola Lawal served late Maj.Gen. Rufus Kupolati, Late. Maj.-Gen. Ishaya Bakut and (briefly), late Brig.-Gen. Idowu Adetunji Olurin. In his second tenure, he served late Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu.
He is a Co-Author of the book; ECOMOG, A BOLD ATTEMPT AT REGIONAL PEACEKEEPING! Edited Mrs Magaret Vogt. The book remains the most. factual, detailed and authentic book on the ECOWAS sponsored ECOMOG Military operation.