Taiwo Popoola
The Lagos State government has denied reports that it has placed a ban on sachet water.
The Minister of the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this clarification on Sunday in a statement posted on his official X account.
The commissioner’s comments followed a viral video which showed enforcement officers destroying packs of sachet water in Lagos.
Reacting to this, Wahab clarified that the officers in the viral video were staff of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (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 of public health and safety.
“It is important to emphasise 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 polythene terephthalate (PET), sachets, and carrier bags of no less than 40 40 microns,” he stated.
