National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control, NAFDAC, has distanced itself from a purported enforcement officer seen destroying a truckload of sachet water, also known as ‘pure water’ in Lagos State.
NAFDAC came out to deny the enforcement after the Lagos State government denied reports that it has placed a ban on sachet water.
The Commissioner of the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, had while reacting to a viral video of yet-to-be-identified persons, enforcing the ban on sachet water said the officers in the viral video were staff of NAFDAC who went about their lawful responsibility to rid the society of unregistered and unsafe products in the interest of public safety and health.
“My attention has been drawn to a viral video showing some individuals bursting sachet water packs at factories and on buses. I wish to categorically state that these individuals are not enforcement officers from any Lagos State Government agency or the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.
“Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the individuals in question are enforcement officers from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Their actions are part of an enforcement exercise targeting sachet water that does not comply with NAFDAC regulations, and in the interest public health and safety,” Wahab said in a press statement on his X page.
He added that the state government has neither banned sachet water in the state nor wished to do so as he emphasised that the state looks to ensure effective plastic waste management.
“It is important to emphasize that Lagos State has not banned sachet water and does not have plans to do so. Our focus remains on effective plastic waste management. As part of our commitment, we are implementing mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for producers of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), sachets, and carrier bags of no less than 40 microns,” the commissioner added.
However, Theliberationnews, gathered from a reliable source that plans are underway by the Lagos state government to ban single use plastics including nylon bags from January 2025.
Most people are however wondering whether the widely denied activities of unscrupulous elements attacking investors’ investments in pure water business is just an attempt to test waters by the authorities.
However, in an almost-immediate reaction via its official X handle, NAFDAC denied embarking on such operations, insisting it was not its mode of operation.
“The videos circulating of individuals engaging in enforcement activities are NOT NAFDAC officials or part of our Investigation & Enforcement team,” the agency wrote on X.
“Furthermore, stopping vehicles to destroy products is unprofessional and does not align with any NAFDAC Standard Operating Procedure.”
