NAFDAC DESTROYS OVER FOUR BILLION NAIRA WORTH OF PRODUCTS IN ANAMBRA

REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed products worth over four billion naira in Awka, Anambra State.

The products were fake, counterfeit, substandard, expired and unwholesome regulated products seized by the agency from various suspects in South East and South South zones of the country.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, in a message said the products destroyed included Antibiotics, Antihypertensive, Antiasthmatic, Aphrodisiacs, Antimalarial,Herbal Remedies and unwholesome food.

Represented by the Deputy Director, Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Frances Ononiwu, the NAFDAC DG said other products destroyed were chemicals such as fake insecticides, banned drugs, including Analgin, Tramadol, Gentamicin, Vaccines not properly stored, Cosmetics such as creams, soaps and antiseptics as well as alcoholic and Non alcoholic beverages.

Professor Adeyeye said in addition, some companies, non- governmental organizations, and market unions in the South East and South South zones voluntarily handed over expired, and defective as well as recalled products for destruction by the Agency.

She noted that the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate Unit, Asaba, Delta State has enhanced enforcement activities in the Two zones while the Agency had also made several seizures of controlled and banned narcotics and other fake products being distributed by some unscrupulous elements causing harm to public health.

Professor Adeyeye said the public destruction of the products would eliminate the risk of their reintroduction into the Nigerian market and also a proof of NAFDAC’s resolve to safeguard the health of the nation by ensuring that only genuine drugs and wholesome foods of right qualities were imported, exported, manufactured, distributed and sold in Nigeria.

In a remark, a representative of Drug Dealers at the Bridge Head Market, Onitsha, Chief Emmanul Uchenna, commended NAFDAC for its interest and effort in ensuring that the nation is free of unwholesome drugs even as he promised continued support to the agency to enable it achieve more.

Part of the products destroyed were recovered at an illegal warehouse located in a remote area at Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State by officers of NAFDAC in 2020 with the suspect still at large.

The destroyed products were set on fire at the Anambra State Dump site in Awka, in the full glare of some residents, NDLEA, NSCDC, Medicine dealers from Onitsha and Coordinators of NAFDAC from all the states in the South East and South South parts of Nigeria.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU