Nation
Customers, Our Number One Priority -NAFDAC
The Director-General (DG), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, says customers are the agency’s first priority and are always on its mind while making any decision.
The D-G, who said this at the inauguration of the new State Office in Ilorin, noted that there was need to take trade regulation to customers’ door step, as well as sensitisation, saying that all the work cannot be done from Abuja or Lagos.
“In order to meet the mandate of the agency, we have embarked on a journey of strengthening the processes through establishment, implementation and continual improvement of the quality management system.
“This is about thinking of customers first and the quality of management system had transitioned over years to a robust platform for institutionalising resourceful leadership,
“Also evidence base decision-making and engagement of a train and competent work force for effective customer focus delivery of regulatory activities,” she said.
She, however, said out of seven state offices under construction, Kwara State was the first to be completed and inaugurated, others would be Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Sokoto and Yobe States.
“The building was built to help achieve our mandate, apart from offices, there is a mini hall for staff training and sectorial groups interaction, enlightenment and sensitisation.
“This will enhance the activities and operations of the agency with in the state, thereby contributing to economic growth and well being of the people in Kwara,” she said.
Adeyeye thanked the State Government and the good people of Kwara for their support and looked forward for more support.
The Acting Chairman of NAFDAC, Dr Muftau Yahaya, said the agency had attained maturity level three in the World Health Organisation global birth marking tools.
Yahaya commended the D-G for her resource oriented and environmental strive, which he said had given NAFDAC a seat among the world recognised regulatory agencies.
He explained that the level would help the pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in Nigeria and other food industry trade their products worldwide.
The Acting Chairman continued that the agency had started working tirelessly to attain level four and sustain the developmental strides.
Yahaya disclosed that the governing board had decided to decentralised the agency’s laboratory unit and would have two laboratories in each of the six geopolitical zone, including other planned intervention.
“Nigeria will get to maturity level four and our manufacturers will enjoy global distribution of their products with ease,” he said.
The Tide’s source also reports that the NAFDAC Coordinator for South West Zone, Mrs Rose Ajayi, explained that she started the project during her tenure as the Kwara Coordinator.
Ajayi noted that the director-general’s first visit to the state in 2018 helped towards achieving their goal in 2020 when they started construction, until her handing over in 2021.
The new state office was inaugurated by the acting chairman and director-general of the agency in the presence of the State Coordinator, Mr Kenneth Azikwe, members of staff, other sister agencies and stakeholders.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
A pan-Nigeria organisation committed to the promotion and preservation of indigenous languages, Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters (ILCP), has called for the deliberate development and compulsory teaching of indigenous languages in both primary and secondary schools across the country.
The group made the call during its maiden Congress held in Bori, Rivers State, which was convened to examine challenges hindering the official adoption and effective teaching of Ogoni languages in schools.
Speaking at the Congress, the Executive Director of the organisation, HRC Mene Magnus Edooh, Amb.P, emphasised the critical role of indigenous languages in preserving a people’s culture, values and history. He warned against the gradual extinction of native languages, noting that language loss equates to identity loss.
“Years ago, Latin was a language of global relevance, but today it is largely extinct. We do not want Ogoni languages to suffer a similar fate. As a people, we cannot afford to lose our identity through the death of our languages,” Edooh said.
He explained that the Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters was established to collaborate with language stakeholders to ensure that children and younger generations remain connected to their mother tongues. The organisation also appealed to governments at all levels, as well as relevant institutions and individuals, to take strategic actions aimed at promoting and sustaining Nigeria’s indigenous languages.
Also speaking, the newly appointed Director of Media and Information, Prince David N. Gbarato, questioned the rationale behind government reluctance to accord indigenous languages their rightful place in national development policies.
According to him, “People with well-developed languages are people with well-developed indigenous systems and affairs,” stressing that language development is fundamental to cultural and societal advancement.
The Congress further served as a platform for the ratification of key officers of the organisation and featured the participation of representatives from various indigenous language groups and other language stakeholders, all of whom echoed the call for renewed commitment towards safeguarding Nigeria’s linguistic heritage.
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