The Lagos State Government has dismissed circulating claims of a ban on sachet water within the state.
The clarification was made on Sunday by Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, in a statement posted on his official X account.
The commissioner’s statement comes in response to a viral video showing enforcement officers destroying packs of sachet water at factories and on buses in Lagos.
Addressing public concerns, Wahab confirmed that the officers in the video were not Lagos State officials but personnel of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
“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,” Wahab wrote.
Explaining further, he said: “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.”
Wahab emphasized that Lagos State has not implemented, nor does it plan to introduce, a ban on sachet water.
Instead, the state remains focused on tackling plastic waste through effective management strategies.
“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 microns,” he said.
