We will enforce ban on local gin — NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on Tuesday, said it would enforce the ban on consumption of local gin.

NAFDAC’s coordinator in Cross River State, Mr Isaac Kolowale, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar.

However, Kolawale said he was yet to receive a circular to enforce the ban on consumption of the local gin.

NAN recalled that the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, on Monday, announced the ban on the consumption of local gin in the country.

He said the ban on the substance was sequel to the death of no fewer than 38 people  in Ondo and Rivers states, after the consumption of the local gin, due to its toxic content.

“You know we are civil servants and we work with memos. We are waiting for a memo to direct us on what to do.

“As soon as we get a memo from our national headquarters in Abuja, we will act accordingly and I can assure you that no stone will be left unturned.

“As soon as we receive the memo, we will confiscate all the locally produced ‘ogogoro’ in the state,’’ the coordinator assured.

Meanwhile, some residents in the state have hailed the ban on the consumption of the local gin by NAFDAC.

Dr Paul Osang said the ban was timely, because the locally produced gin had claimed the lives of many people in recent time.

Osang cited a case in Ondo State, in which 18 people died after consuming the local gin contaminated with ethanol.

He urged the government to set up a task force to arrest all producers of the local gin.

Osang said the arrest of the producers of the banned drink and the destruction of the local gin would put an end to its availability.

A civil servant, Mrs Comfort Eban, said the ban was necessary, because of the toxic content of the local gin.

“This local gin is not medically certified. Some people sit in their houses and produce it without considering the negative effects on the consumers,’’ she said.

A dog meat consumer, Mr Victor Etta, urged dog meat sellers to desist from using the gin, which had toxic methanol content, in cooking the delicacy.

Etta advised the government to enlighten the people on the dangers of consuming the local gin.

“Some rural dwellers are still ignorant of the dangers in the consumption of the gin, which is largely produced and consumed in the villages,’’ he said.