Connect with us

Business

NAFDAC And Dignity For Herbal Products

Published

on

Notaby, just as the glo
bally detested fake, substandard and counterfeited pharmaceutical products are very harmful and highly destructive to human health, so also are traditional /herbal products of similar status. Indeed, the Nigeria alternative medicine market is in dire need of modern sophistications, dynamic development  and critical overhaul for global competitive practice in the sector.
Historically, the use of medicinal herbal products in the curing and prevention of numerous diseases and ailments is ancient in practice. However, the emergence of western civilisation  brought in its wake, orthodox or modern medical practice.
Despite the various enormous technological and scientific sophistications that have characterized this mode of medication, it could be simply considered as an improvement on the aged traditional and ancient approach to medicine practice.
Such is its dependability and effectiveness in both curative and preventive medicine practice  that the usage of herbs  for medication purpose is maximally acknowledged and embraced globally particularly in Britain, United States of America, Germany, India, China etc.
It is in this regard that Nigeria, a highly revered Giant in the Africa continent has expressed outright unwillingness to be shoved aside as the world progressively tilts towards blending modern with traditional /herbal cum alternative medicine in an attempt to proffer  varieties of suitable medications for the avalanche of deadly diseases which abounds in all the nooks and crannies of the world.
Apparently, this explains the current posture of Government in this regard through the Dr Paul B.Orhii led National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) .
Undoubtedly, Indeginous herbal preparations or mixtures emanates from the blending of plants medicinal properties such as flowers, bark,  leaves ,roots, berries, seeds, fruits etc .
The end products which could be in form of dry extracts {ie capsules or pills},tinctures ,liquid extracts, oil, syrups, teas etc are used for the treatment of various ailments  and diseases.
They are equally termed as alternative ,complimentary or supplementary in medicine practice and therefore not alien.
In Nigeria, for instance, the ancient/traditional and seeming hereditary nature of its practice over the years seems to have encouraged its massive infiltration by quacks, illiterates and saboteurs who are merely masquerading as  herbal experts.
More embarrassing is the unsubstantiated and non-verified effectiveness , efficacy and potency claims ascribed to herbal products by marketers such that users are misled to believe that a single product can cure a retinue of   diseases including AIDS,HIV while at the same time boost sexual libido etc
Some herbal practitioners and marketers have resorted to unauthorised, desperate and highly insincere means of advertisement in a deliberately calculated attempt to fraudulently garner mass patronage from unsuspecting buyers including using NAFDAC numbers as a guarantee for their claimed herbal products efficacy and reliability.
These obnoxious practices  has in turn made herbal medicine practice an all comer affair with an attendant negative consequence on the innocent consumers.
As a legally authorised healthcare regulator, the onus of sieving the grains from the shafts rest on NAFDAC  which is determined to bring to bear on the sector outright sanity through thorough examination and standardization of the various processes, preparations and products culminating into effective and efficient herbal medicine practice.
It is in this regard that the agency has evolved  modernised scientific techniques to adequately regulate and promote herbal products manufacturing and marketing with a view to according it due relevance through proper repositioning for outright acceptability both locally and internationally.
NAFDAC is indeed determined to ensure that herbal medical products being put across to the public for use or consumption as a reliable means of medication are non poisonous{non-toxic},safe, non –complicative ,efficacious and are in accordance with globally acceptable /specified good manufacturing practice standards.
It is in an attempt to maximally guarantee safety for the human life ,that NAFDAC has urged all herbal medicine practitioners nationwide to henceforth forward mandatorily to it ,herbal preparations and products for a proper cum professionalised scientific and medical examination before being accorded a partial approval status known as NAFDAC Listing status which is not a guarantee on herbal products curative and preventive capacity or effectiveness efficacy which constitutes the first approval stage.
In the same vein permission/authorisation is to be compulsorily obtained from the agency by practitioners for their herbal products before being advertised for public acceptance and patronage in the mass media-Radio,T elevision, Newspapers, Magazines,Bill boards,Electronic boards, etc.This is believed will entrench sanity in herbal products advertisement.
Similarly ,the agency is putting in place a dynamic second and final herbal products approval phase which comprise scientific based herbal products efficacy/effectiveness verification mechanism which will involve series of clinical trials.
To this end, a high powered committee comprising seasoned intellectuals and scientific egg heads duly  sourced from both the academia universities and research agencies eg NIBRID has been constituted .
These medical and scientific Think-Tanks are to among other things, thoroughly examine, assess and consider herbal composition , preparations and products to ascertain efficacy status or where necessary ,recommend appropriate rectification  measures.
They are also to unfold the nature of government support or assistance required to upgrade herbal medicine practice through herbal products development and standardisation to compete with international quality efficacy and safety  output standards.
Furthermore, the agency has resolved not to rest on its oars as it has restrenthened its public enlightenment approaches and measures aimed at ensuring that herbal medicals  are effectively and efficiently regulated thereby ensuring that they are safe for use.
Interestingly, the agency has remained consistent in the hosting and co-ordination of enlightenment and interactive workshops for herbal practitioners and other stakeholders in the sector in an attempt to adequately equip and update them with modern requirements/international best practices as well as standards and knowledge in the development and upliftment of the sector.
Obviously, the social, political and economic benefits accruable to a nation from the production and marketing of herbal products are indeed enormous.
Apart from boosting foreign exchange earnings, creating employment opportunities, dignifying our nation and herbal products,it will further empower government to provide social amenities,avail the citizenry a reliable alternative source of health care while helping to ensure that our pride as a progressively focused nation is maximally sustained through the production of standardised life saving herbal medical commodities to mention but a few of its advantages.
Ideally, herbal products ability and competence must be thoroughly substantiated through necessary laboratory analysis and other relevant medical experimentations for curative and preventive assurance before favourable public pronouncement can be made on such products capacity .
It is only by so doing that herbal medicine can be maximally and relevantly integrated into the Nation’s healthcare delivery system to provide the required complementary, supplementary or alternative role.
In all, the various numerous and scintillating advantages ascribable to embracing of herbal products could become outrightly elusive if adequate urgent measures are not adopted to regulate, control and standardise its production and administration such that only very competent persons who are knowledgeable in herbal medicine composition, preparation and use are allowed access to its practice which invariably, is the position of NAFDAC as it relates to herbal medicine practice.

 

Martins Ikhilae

Continue Reading

Business

NCDMB, Dangote Refinery Unveil JTC On Deepening Local Content

Published

on

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company have inaugurated a Joint Technical Committee (JrefineryTC) aimed at advancing local content implementation during the operational phase of the 650,000 barrels per day  plant.
A statement from the Directorate of Corporate Communications of the Board noted that the inauguration ceremony took place at the Dangote Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
The statement also said the inauguration marks a pivotal moment in fostering strategic collaboration between the both institutions, and was a significant move to reinforce local content development in the oil and gas sector.
Presided over by the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and the Group Vice President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Group, Chief Edwin Devakumar, the event featured the formal sign-off of the Committee’s Terms of Reference (ToR), a guided tour of the refinery, other critical facilities, and the official commencement of the JTC’s responsibilities.
According to the Board, the visit also featured the presentation of the certificate of the Nigerian Content Downstream Operator of the Year Award won by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company at the inaugural ‘Champions of Nigerian Content Awards’ held recently in May.
The NCDMB’s boss made the presentation to the President of the Dangote Group, Alhalji Aliko Dangote, who expressed delight at the recognition, noting that he would display the certificate proudly at his office.
Ogbe congratulated the Dangote Group on the successful development and commissioning of the largest single train refinery in the world, as well as petrochemical and fertiliser plants, describing the projects as a historic milestone not for Nigeria alone, but for the entire continent.
He emphasized that the Dangote Refinery stands as a testament to the success of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010 and the transformative potential of Nigerian-led industrial projects.
“At an optimal daily production capacity of 650,000 barrels, this refinery will significantly enhance Nigeria’s energy security and contribute to the supply of refined petroleum products across West Africa.
“Nigerians, have to own the plant, we have to make sure that the plant works well. We have to secure it, we have to maintain it. The NCDMB would continue to collaborate with Dangote Petroleum Refinery”, Engr  Ogbe said.
Highlighting the need to ensure more value retention in the sector, as mandated by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICD) 2010, the Board’s helmsman demanded compliance with Sections 32 and 33 of the NOGICD Act, with particular reference to local manpower utilization and requirements for NCDMB’s approval prior to the engagement of expatriates.
“The NOGICD Act stipulates that no expatriate can be employed in any organization in the oil and gas industry without the prior approval of the NCDMB. We will work with you, We’ve to protect jobs for Nigerians. It’s critical to job creation, skills development, and national capacity building in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, he said.
He commended the firm for training and employing Nigerian engineers, saying the collaboration will ensure that qualified Nigerians were given opportunities across all operational roles, while also urging the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals to support the Board’s initiative which aims at developing oil and gas industrial parks across the country to foster local content and manufacturing in the sector.
He noted that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGaPS) seeks to create an enabling environment for Small and Medium Enterprises in the sector.
“NOGaPS was conceived by the Board to develop facilities close to oil fields where manufacturing of oil and gas components, as well as research and development, can be carried out.
“We would like Dangote to support one of our major activities, which is the oil and gas industrial parks scheme. The parks are aimed at creating an enabling environment for SMEs in the industry to do fabrications and create more jobs for Nigerians”, the NCDMB’S boss stated.
In his welcome address, the Dangote Group Vice President, Devakumar, highlighted that the refinery project and NCDMB have been working together, promoting local content development during the construction stages of the project.
“We can’t say we have achieved everything, because there is opportunity to do more. We’re grateful to the NCDMB for all their support and advice.  As entrepreneurs, we’re trying to optimise costs. It’s a Nigerian company, it’s also an entrepreneur-driven company. As a Nigerian company, the focus will be on Nigerian content. As an entrepreneur-driven company, it will be cost-focused”, he noted.
Devakumar underscored the long-standing commitment of the Dangote Group to national development and capacity building, saying that the Group’s vision is to grow Nigeria’s industrial landscape.
High points of the visit, according to the Corporate Communications Directorate of the NCDMB, was the inauguration of the Committee members.
The statement from the NCDMB further added that the committee is to ensure the implementation of local content in the refinery’s operations, while its core objectives include promoting the use of Nigerian skilled manpower, services, and locally sourced materials in compliance with Section 3 of the NOGICD Act.
The Tide learnt that the committee will also support Dangote Refinery in aligning its operational procedures with the Act’s requirements.
In his acceptance remarks, Director of Corporate Services at NCDMB and Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu, expressed gratitude to the leadership of both organizations, reiterating the Committee’s dedication to upholding the highest standards of local content enforcement and fostering measurable outcomes that will benefit the nation’s economy.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Continue Reading

Business

Food Security: NDDC Pays Counterpart Fund  For LIFE-ND Project

Published

on

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, says the commission has paid its counterpart fund for the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Project to ensure food security in the region.
The LIFE-ND project is an agriculture intervention project sponsored by the Federal Government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the NDDC to boost food security in the region.
Mr. Ogbuku disclosed this while fielding questions at the commission’s 25th anniversary world press briefing  in Asaba, Delta State.
He stated that the commission has equipped and trained farmers in the region on best practices, adding that it has also established Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce with a commitment of N30 billion, but has released N5 billion to encourage commerce and entrepreneurship in the area.
According to him, agriculture is among the next phase of the commission’s programmes aimed at addressing food security in the region.
“Our target is to use agriculture to fight criminalities in the Niger Delta region”, he said.
The NDDC boss said the commission would hold a retreat to marshal plans to enhance the cultivation of rice, oil palm, cassava, and maize for industrialisation.
He also disclosed that its fund allocation from the Federal Government has improved, adding that funding from International Oil Companies has also increased, with greater compliance.
Ogbuku revealed that although its revenue has improved, the commission had thought it wise not to borrow but to deploy the surplus to execute more projects.
According to him, the commission has gone digital in its documentation and data generation to address its human capital development projects, ensuring the even deployment of resources, which allows people to take turns being trained in their chosen profession.
He stated that the NDDC was committed to addressing environmental challenges in erosion-prone areas in Edo, Delta, and other states, contingent upon the availability of funds.
Continue Reading

Business

Replace Nipa Palms With Mangroove In Ogoni, Group Urges FG, HYPREP

Published

on

A concerned group of stakeholders under the auspices of Khana Coastal Communities has made a passionate appeal to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Hydrocarbon Remediation Restoration Project (HYPREP) to include the removal of Nipa palms which has taken over the positions of mangroves in the area as part of the ongoing Ogoni Clean Up Exercise.
The group, which decried the invasive and destructive effects of Nypa fructicans, commonly known as Nipa palms, on the ecosystem of the affected communities, made their appeal in a Press Statement issued shortly after the  inspection and survey of the creeks and coastlines of  affected communities.
The communities are Kwiri, Kereken, Kaa, Gwara, Sii, Kpean, Tehnnama, Bane, Kalaoku, and Opuoku, all in Khana Local Government Area of Ogoni, Rivers State.
Signed on behalf of the affected communities by comrades Emmanuel Goteh Bie, Raymond Nwibani, and Chief Barineka Tonwe, the statement emphasized the need for urgent intervention to clear the Nypa fructicans and replace them with mangroves which provided sustainable habitat for aquatic species in the affected communities.
The group commended the Federal Ministry of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup process and urged all stakeholders involved in the process not to renege on their complementary roles.
The statement read in part: “As you have seen, the Nypa fructicans has taken over our creeks, displacing native mangroves and aquatic life. The impact on our communities has been severe, with many of our people struggling to make a living due to the depletion of fish and other aquatic resources.
“We commend the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) for its efforts in restoring native mangroves in Ogoni, particularly in the Bomu Community. However, we are alarmed by the unintended consequences of removing invasive Nypa fructicans, which has led to the disappearance of fish and aquatic life, threatening the livelihoods of our coastal communities.
“We believe that the removal of Nypa fructicans and replanting of native mangroves will help revive our aquatic life and sustain the livelihoods of our people.”
The group passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas, and HYPREP Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, for what it described as their unwavering efforts in ensuring the success of the Ogoni cleanup exercise.
They  called on the Federal Government to release their counterpart funding to HYPREP without delay to sustain the pace of progress recorded in the clean up process.
“The cleanup exercise is commendable, and any delay in funding could stall the progress and undermine the efforts of all stakeholders. We urge the government to prioritize the Ogoni cleanup exercise and provide the necessary support to ensure its success”, they stated.
They also used the opportunity to caution against the antics of self-inflicted activists or bodies that might attempt to hijack the cleanup agenda and create unnecessary agitation, and assured the total support of the affected  communities to HYPREP’s activities to enhance the holistic success of the Ogoni clean up exercise.
Bemene Taneh
Continue Reading

Trending