News
NAFDAC Promises To Improve On Herbal Medicine Products For Global Acceptance
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has pledged to ensure herbal medicine products improvement to enable global acceptance.
The pledge is contained in a statement signed by the agency’s Director-General (D-G), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, and issued to newsmen on Sunday by NAFDAC’s media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola.
Akintola stated that Adeyeye made the promise in a message to commemorate the 2023 International Traditional Medicine Day, celebrated every Aug. 31.
The D-G commended the efforts of herbal medicines manufacturers across the country for their resilience.
She noted with pride the development of several herbal formulations and their progress from clinical trials stage to approval stage by NAFDAC.
Adeyeye said that the guidelines for the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), in herbal medicine production had been prepared by the agency.
According to her, NAFDAC is working on a series of trainings for practitioners to get accustomed to the guidelines.
She said officers of the agency would commence vigorous inspections of facilities, to ascertain the level of preparedness of the herbal practitioners in the business after the training.
According to her also, NAFDAC will monitor and ensure compliance with the guidelines after the training, and step down knowledge of the guidelines to the more than 614 herbal medicine facilities nationwide.
She said this was imperative to sanitise the sector as the agency could not enforce rules on herbal medicine practitioners that had not been trained.
The D-G explained that the facilities had been divided into zones, and the agency’s personnel across the federation would be deployed for the exercise.
She said that the strategy would also apply to practitioners in all other zones of the country, stressing that the deployment of NAFDAC personnel in each zone for the job would reduce cost for the agency.
The D-G disclosed that the stakeholder’s training would start with Lagos, which had more than 317 facilities,
She said after the training, the herbal practitioners would be given some few weeks to get ready for the inspection visits by NAFDAC personnel.
Adeyeye warned that any herbal practitioner that did not meet the agency’s standards would have the facility either shut down or placed on hold.
She noted that the agency was mostly worried about hygiene in herbal medicine practice, and so was training and counselling owners of the facilities visited to change their filling process.
She identified capsule filling as one aspect of their operations that was posing a big challenge to NAFDAC, as most herbal medicines were in capsule or syrup form and they did not have automated filling machines and were using the manual method which was not safe.
She therefore, warned that by the end of this year, the agency would not register any company without the semi-automated or automated capsule filling machines.
She noted that many Nigerians were using herbal medicine, and that the earlier the standard was raised, the better for the country.
Adeyeye disclosed that University of Lagos was establishing a manufacturing facility to enable all practitioners who did not have funds for filling automation use the facility at an affordable and reduced price.
“Herbal manufacturing GMP requires that the personnel be qualified, and the building be constructed to specific standards.
“The floor, walls, and roof must be clean, smooth, and impervious to moisture.
“All these are required to make contamination impossible as the guidelines emphasised the need for hygiene and also how the premises should be.
“We want a building that will make contamination impossible, the inspectors from the agency will be specific about how the equipment is placed to avoid cross contamination.
“In manufacturing, personnel are the greatest agents of contamination to products, the machines should be well placed to allow free flow of movement of staff”, she said.
She promised that the agency would find out how practitioners sourced and stored their raw materials and finished products.
The NAFDAC boss, however, expressed delight that three herbal product manufacturers were being awaited to conclude the clinical trials on some medicines.
She encouraged practitioners to present pilot study results for evaluation, saying that if found satisfactory, they could move to the larger study and later granted approval for full registration.
According to the D-G, people react differently to different drugs, hence the need for a larger number of samples for the study in the larger phase three of the clinical trials.
News
Kano Gov Congratulates NUJ At 70

Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has congratulated the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on its 70th anniversary.
The governor acknowledged the NUJ’s vital role in strengthening democracy and promoting accountability in governance.
This is contained in a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa in Kano, yesterday.
The governor lauded the NUJ for its unwavering commitment to ethical journalism and nation building.
He commended the union’s leadership, led by Mr Alhassan Yahya Abdullahi, for advancing press freedom and advocating for journalists’ welfare.
“The NUJ has been instrumental in shaping Nigeria’s narrative, promoting democracy and ensuring accountability in governance.
”The Kano state government recognises the critical role of the media in our democracy and will continue to support and collaborate with the NUJ to uphold a free and independent press,” he stated.
Yusuf urged journalists to continue to uphold professionalism, integrity and objectivity.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fostering a strong partnership with the union, while ensuring that the media remained a pillar of democracy in the state and the country at large.
“Once again, congratulations to the NUJ on this remarkable achievement. May the next 70 years bring even greater successes and accomplishments for the union and its members,” he stated.
News
Monarch Lauds Fubara On Enduring Peace, Installs Three Chiefs In Ngo

The Village Head of Ngo in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, King Dogood Ngere, has commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for his peaceful disposition and leadership qualities in the State.
King Ngere has also appealed to the governor and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to resolve their differences and work together for the interest of peace and development of the State.
The monarch stressed the need for the two leaders to put Rivers State interest above personal interest and reconcile their differences.
He said Fubara’s decision to implement the Supreme Court judgement shows that he is a man of peace and appealed to the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Rt Martin Amaewhule to work with the Executive to move the State forward.
The traditional ruler stated this shortly after he installed three chiefs at his palace in Ngo Town.
The three chiefs are Chief Daniel Dimkpa Nelson of Ebirien Ngere family, Chief John Biboh John of Ngor Egbesi family, and Awajimotumu Ukot Idawaji as chief of Ida Awaji family.
Addressing the new chiefs after their installation, King Ngere charged them to see themselves as role models for their individual families, stressing that as chiefs, it behoves them to be exemplary in their conducts.
According to the traditional ruler, the new chiefs must not only work for the peace of their families but Ngo community in general.
King Ngere also advised members of the three families to give their chiefs the desired respect while also supporting them to succeed.
He commended Governor Fubara for his numerous developmental projects in Andoni, particularly the ongoing Ngo/Oyorokoto Road, saying that when completed, the road will open up economic opportunities in the area.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Secretary of the Egweoke Council of Chiefs, Chief Awajiokan Mbosowo Ukumor, described the installation ceremony as a big success.
He said the three chiefs fulfilled all the conditions for their installation and are therefore admitted as members of the Ngo Council of Chiefs.
The ceremony was attended by people from various walks of life.
News
NDLEA Seizes Large Consignments Of Skunk, Heroin Across Six States, FCT

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized large consignments of skunk, heroin, and other opioids in raids across Kano, Kwara, Kaduna, Taraba, Abia, Osun, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.
Babafemi said that in Kano, a total of 727 blocks of compressed skunk weighing 479kg were recovered from a 40-year-old suspect.
According to him, the suspect was arrested by operatives of the NDLEA at the Chalawa area of the state on March 12.
He added that no fewer than 58,300 pills of tramadol were also intercepted along Kabba-Obajana highway, Kogi, in a commercial bus coming from Lagos, enroute Abuja on March 11.
He added that raid operations in Kachia, in Kaduna on March 13, led to the arrest of a 21 year-old suspect, with 4,900 pills of tramadol 225mg seized from him.
Babafemi said that a similar exercise in the Hayin Banki area of Kaduna North Local Government Area (LGA) on March 14, also resulted in the arrest of another 25-year-old suspect.
According to Babafemi, 2,900 tablets of tramadol 225mg was also recovered from him.
“A total of 40,200 tablets of tramadol 225mg were recovered from the duo of Olowoko Faruk and Akeem Ridwan along Ilorin – Jebba expressway, Bode Saadu, Kwara, on Friday, March 14.
“The NDLEA operatives equally seized 21,700 capsules of same opioid from a suspect, along Eiyenkorin expressway, Ilorin on Thursday, March 13.
“Also, in Taraba, NDLEA officers on Friday, March 14, another 30-year-old suspect, at Bente Road, Kurmi LGA, with 15.77kg of skunk,” he stated.
Speaking further, he noted that agency operatives had also on March 13 in Osun, intercepted a commercial bus with registration number, SGB 564 YS coming from Idumota, Lagos Island.
According to him, the NDLEA operatives recovered a total of 48.7kg Ghanaian Loud, Colorado and Canadian Loud, all strains of cannabis.
“Not less than nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizure in Osogbo and Ile-Ife during follow up operations.
“A 58-year-old suspect was on March 11, arrested along Gwagwalada expressway, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, with 27,800 pills of tramadol 225mg.
“Another 26 year old suspect sold was nabbed same day with various quantities of skunk and cocaine at Wuse zone 3 area of Abuja.
“In Abia, NDLEA operatives had also on March 15, raided the Ntigha community, Isiala-Ngwa North LGA, where a 34-year-old suspect was arrested.
“Operatives recovered from him, 274grams of heroin, 141grams of methamphetamine, 2.931kg of cannabis sativa, four grams of cocaine and N753,015 monetary exhibit,” he said.
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