The director general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has emphasised the importance of honouring retiring workers for their years of dedication and unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health of Nigerians.
She highlighted that the retirees’ contributions have not only upheld but also elevated NAFDAC’s standards, playing a vital role in the nation’s health security.
Reeling out the milestones achieved by the nation with the contributions of the retiring workers, Adeyeye cited NAFDAC’s attainment of Maturity Level 3 for medicine and the World Health Organization (WHO) Pre-Qualification of the Central Drug Control Laboratory (CDCL) in Yaba as significant achievements in the agency’s mission to ensure the safety and efficacy of medicines available to the public.
In a statement by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the DG lauded the workers, including the retirees, for their meticulous planning, rigorous testing, and unwavering commitment to excellence, which led to this success.
Read Also: Bode George to Atiku: you can’t be president in 2027
Describing the moment as bittersweet at the 2023 NAFDAC Awards, Recognition, and Retirement Ceremony, held in Lagos on Wednesday, she noted that the ceremony was also an opportunity to reflect on NAFDAC’s achievements over the past year, many of which resulted from the collective effort and dedication of the workforce, including the retirees.
She said: “Today, we gather to bid a fond farewell to those who have dedicated their careers to the service of NAFDAC and the nation
“These retirees are celebrated as the backbone of the agency, having shaped its culture, mentored the next generation, and left an indelible mark on its operations.
“Their service was marked by diligence and perseverance. Many of them spent countless nights working on reports, engaging in rigorous field operations, and making complex decisions—all of which contributed to saving lives and building trust in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“Their efforts had touched millions of lives in ways that may never be fully quantified”.
She commended the retirees for their resilience and the spirit of service that drove them throughout their careers, saying, “Retirement is not an end but a new beginning”.
She assured them that their contributions would continue to resonate within NAFDAC and beyond, celebrated for a lifetime.
The DG also acknowledged the retirees’ role in setting the standard for excellence within the agency, pushing boundaries, and achieving new benchmarks in regulatory science and public health protection.
Adeyeye, however, urged all NAFDAC staff to take inspiration from the retirees and their achievements while emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement, innovation, and resilience in the face of challenges, particularly in light of the recent Executive Order aimed at transforming Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Reminding the workers, the DG encouraged them to take pride in their work and the NAFDAC family, saying, “The true measure of our success lies in the lives we impact every day,” she
She urged the workers to embrace innovation, foster collaboration, and uphold NAFDAC’s core mission to protect and promote public health while assuring the retirees that their legacy would continue to shape the agency’s future efforts and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.
“Together, we are not just regulating; we are transforming lives, strengthening our nation’s health security, and contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth,” she said.
Rametu Momodu, chairperson of the Awards Organizing Committee and Coordinating Director of the Food/Animal Feed Product Inspectorate, in her remarks, urge