By Biola Lawal
Flowerbudnews: The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has warned that the ban placed by the Federal Government on codeine syrup and alcohol in sachets were still in Force.
Prof. Adeyeye stated that the ban on the two products were imposed due to their confirmed dangers to public health and the nation’s youths who were found engaging in serious abuse of the regulated products.
The NAFDAC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) made the declaration in a statement made available to Flowerbudnews in which she responded to publications by some electronic and print media (Not Flowerbudnews ) claiming that the ban on the abused products had been lifted.
(Codeine Syrup)
”Codeine-containing syrup remain banned,” the NAFDAC Boss stated, adding: ”In fact, the Federal Government compensated the manufacturers of the syrup that did not abuse the distribution.’:
Prof. Adeyeye declared: ”NAFDAC has never discussed the removal of the ban. The statement in the News Media that another Minister removed the ban is INACCURATE and FALSE”.
She stated that the ban on sachet alcohol was effected only after a five-year moratorium granted the manufacturers to phase out the products had lapsed.
The moratorium was granted by the then Honourable Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Folorunsho Adewole.
Prof. disclosed that there were discussions between NAFDAC and the House of Representatives over the issue of the ban on sachet alcohol, adding however, that the discussions were still ongoing and was scheduled to continue in July when the House return from recess.
The statement, personally signed by the NAFDAC Director-General read:
BAN ON SACHET ALCOHOL:RESPONDING TO PUBLICATIONS IN THE PUNCH AND VANGUARD NEWSPAPERS, AS WELL AS ARISE TV NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA June 19,2024
On February 1, 2024, NAFDAC started the enforcement of a ban on alcohol sold in sachet or in less than 200ml PET Bottle, after a five -year moratorium that the then Honourable Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Folorunsho Adewole gave the manufacturers to phase out the two package types.
This moratorium document was signed in December 2018 by the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) and the Association of Food Beverage & Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) with Ministry of Health, NAFDAC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Soon after the enforcement of the ban, which came five years after all parties had signed the agreement on the moratorium, the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration advised that the Agency should suspend the ban.
It was made known at the time, however, that the Agency would have to await a decision by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on the matter since the Agency was essentially enforcing a ministerial document.
On Thursday, June 13, 2024, the Speaker of the House of Representatives called for a meeting with the Director General (NAFDAC) at the Speaker’s Office.
The Speaker was represented by the Chief of Staff, Prof Jake Dan-Azumi. Present at the meeting were the Chair of the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration, Honourable Mrs. Regina Akume, the Deputy Chair of the House Committee on Food and Drug Administration. Honourable Uche Okonkwo, Honourable Chinedu Ogah, and Honourable Philip Agbese.
Also present at the meeting was NAFDAC’s Director of FCT, Mr. Abdulsalam Ozigis. The Agency was again advised to suspend the ban, and I responded by saying that it is a Ministerial Directive, and that I had not received any directive by the Coordinating Minister to suspend the ban.
The Speaker’s representative at the meeting, Prof Dan-Azumi and the Committee Chair, Honourable Mrs. Akume then said that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare should write a memo to the Speaker and House Committee. Prof Dan-Azumi said that the discussion will continue in July after the House returns from recess.
Following the meeting, I reported the above outcome from the meeting to both the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate and the Coordinating Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa.
BAN ON CODEINE:
On May 1st, 2018, the then Minister of Health Prof Isaac Folorunsho Adewole placed a ban on codeine syrup because of a documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on poor distribution and abuse.
(Codeine Syrup)
Codeine-containing syrup remain banned since that time. In fact, the Federal Government compensated the manufacturers of the syrup that did not abuse the distribution.
NAFDAC has never discussed the removal of the ban. The statement in the News Media that another Minister removed the ban is INACCURATE and FALSE.
Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye PhD, FASDirector General/CEO NAFDAC (Flowerbudnews)
About Flowerbudnews
Established by Hon. Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Flowerbudnews is a consortium of active journalists, media veterans and image makers in both public and private sectors of Nigeria’s media Industry determined to enhance the practice of responsible journalism.
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.
Lawal holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency)
