Nation
NAFDAC Wants Stiffer Penalty For Peddlers Of Counterfeit, Unwholesome Drugs
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday in Abuja appealed to the judiciary to institute stiffer penalty against peddlers of counterfeit and unwholesome drugs.
The agency also called on the National Assembly to pass the Counterfeit Medical Product Bill to strengthen the agency’s war against offenders, and to make the penalty serve as a deterrent to abusers.
The appeal is contained in a statement signed by the agency’s resident media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, and made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday.
The statement quoted NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, as saying that perpetrators of the illicit trade do capitalise on the weak law in the land to wreak havoc on the nation’s health system.
She spoke against the backdrop of the ongoing destruction of falsified and expired medicines, cosmetics, and unwholesome food products across the country by the agency.
The NAFDAC boss appealed to the judiciary to take sterner view of counterfeiting and apply the maximum penalty of the weak laws to deter counterfeiters and fraudsters from the dangers they pose to the society.
Adeyeye said that the dangerous business would be made unattractive if it carries maximum penalty against offenders, while appealing to NASS to pass counterfeit medical product Bill to reinforce the war against counterfeiting in Nigeria.
She warned that henceforth, there would be no hiding place for the merchants of death, who she said, derived joy in circulating expired, falsified drugs and putting the health of millions of Nigerians at risk.
Adeyeye said that NAFDAC had resolved to go after those who engage in circulation of counterfeited and expired medicines in the country until they are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
She said that the agency would not rest on its oars until those merchants of death desist from the nefarious activities, even though NAFDAC had seized and destroyed unwholesome products worth over N 5 billion in five months.
According to her, the agency destroyed unwholesome medicines, expired food items and cosmetics worth N1,429,580,683.00 in Awka, the capital city of Anambra State, in March for South-South and Southeast operations.
She recalled that such dangerous products, worth N613,300,290.00, were also destroyed in Kano within the same period.
She said that the agency also moved to Gombe in May to destroy counterfeited and expired medicines, and food items worth N515,732.587 as well as mopped up in the Northeast.
According to Prof Adeyeye, fake and expired medicines, and food products, worth N2,482,600,290, seized in the Southwest were destroyed in Shagamu, Ogun State, last week.
She assured Nigerians that the Agency would stop at nothing to apprehend the people who engage in the illicit business of endangering the lives of undescerning consumers who patronise them.
“The operatives of the agency had combed the nooks and crannies of the five geo-political zones of the federation, namely, North West, North East, South East, South-South and South West.
“This is to mop up expired drugs and unwholesome food products with a view to safeguarding the health of the Nigerian people,” she said.
Adeyeye noted that the destruction was part of the efforts to rid the Nigerian market of unwholesome products and engender public confidence.
“The destroyed products include drugs such as antibiotics, anti-hypertensive, antimalarial, herbal remedies, psychoactive, controlled substance, food products such as spaghetti, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages, sachet water, chocolates and noodles.
“The continued destruction of the spurious products would eliminate the risk of their reintroduction into the market. Drug counterfeiting is an act of economic sabotage and it poses serious threat to public health.”
“This is why NAFDAC has resolved to safeguard the health of the people and ensure that only genuine medicines that are wholesome are sold in Nigeria,” she said.
“She said that the flag off of the southwest zonal destruction exercise was in line with the agency mandate and strategy aimed at eradicating the reintroduction of expired, Substandard and Falsified (SFs) medical products.
She therefore appreciated the support of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Security (DSS) and Nigeria Security, Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and solicited for sustained synergy of the security agencies to ensure that the country was rid of illicit, fake and unwholesome NAFDAC regulated products.
She appealed to community leaders, faith-based organizations, health practitioners and the media to continue to educate members of the public to desist from patronizing quacks and hawkers of medicines and unwholesome foods.
Adeyeye appealed to members of the public to release valuable information that would help in getting information to fight these merchants of unwholesome products.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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