The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Administration and Control (NAFDAC)

  • NAFDAC introduces new measures to encourage MSMEs

    NAFDAC introduces new measures to encourage MSMEs

    The National Agency for Food and Drug, Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) has introduced new measures to encourage Medium and Small Scale Enterprises ( MSMEs ) in doing business.

    Prof. Moji Adeyeye, Director General of NAFDAC, made the disclosure in Lafia at a workshop organised by NAFDAC for stakeholders and MSMEs on ‘Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria’.

    Adeyeye, represented by Dr Jimoh Abubakar, Director of Special Duties in NAFDAC, said the aim of the workshop was to identify challenges stakeholders encountered in registering their​businesses and proffer solutions to them.

    Adeyeye acknowledged the importance of MSMEs to the Nigerian economy, adding that a vast majority of products manufactured by MSMEs were regulated by NAFDAC, which necessitated the one day workshop.

    “MSMEs play a vital role in the economic development of Nigeria and are known to be the main engine of economic growth. The importance of MSMEs to our economy cannot therefore be overemphasised.

    “A vast majority of products manufactured by MSMEs are regulated by NAFDAC.

    “The agency therefore plays a key role in ensuring that products manufactured by MSMEs comply with relevant quality and safety specifications before their approval, for distribution, sale and use,” she said.

    The director-general enumerated the new measures aimed at encouraging MSMEs as 50 per cent reduction in cost of registration of products for companies with five or fewer employees and reduction in registration timeline to 90 days.

    Others are establishment of Small Business Support Desk to guide small business through registration processes and electronic submission of documents to line directorates in Lagos

    Adeyeye also said the agency had initiated NAFDAC Product Registration Outreach to provide interactive engagement and advice on documentation, labelling and other requirements to facilitate the registration process.

    She noted that in spite the new measures, many MSMEs still perceived the NAFDAC registration process as cumbersome.

    “I assure you that NAFDAC will continue to engage our stakeholders in consultative meetings towards resolving all challenges faced by MSMEs.

    “I encourage you to seize the opportunity during the technical session to speak freely so that the objectives of this forum will be achieved,” the director-general said.

    Also, Mrs Josephine Dayilim, Zonal Coordinator of NAFDAC, North Central Zone, said the policy of the Muhammadu Buhari administration was to ensure MSMEs, as major non-oil revenue earners, were  viable.

    “The proliferation of MSMEs is on the increase and the need to address the bottlenecks encountered during processing of establishments products registration in the states,’’  she said.

    Dayilim  advised stakeholders and MSMEs to avoid sharp practices and to adhere strictly to NAFDAC regulations and guidelines so as to produce wholesome goods and efficacious products.

    In an address of welcome, Mr Micheal Attah, Nasarawa State Coordinator of NAFDAC, expressed hope and optimism that after the meeting all stakeholders would , understand each other better and work together.

    “The goal is to ensure your income increases, the economy of our dear country booms and the quality, standard and safety of your products are guaranteed for the health of all Nigerians,” he said.

    NAN

  • Customs seizes another 27 exotic vehicles, contrabands in Lagos

    Customs seizes another 27 exotic vehicles, contrabands in Lagos

    …Arrests 15 suspects

     

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operation Unit (FOU), Zone ‘ A’ Ikeja, Lagos has intercepted another 27 exotic vehicles, fake drugs and other items valued at N783.6million

    Fifteen smugglers, the Unit said, were arrested in connection with the seized items.

    The seized 27 exotic vehicles comprises of Toyota Prado, Toyata Hilux, Toyota Highlander, Mercedes Benz and other classic vehicles with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N228,215,429.1

    The vehicles, findings revealed, are 2007 and 2013 models.

    Addressing reporters in Lagos Monday, its Controller Mohammed Garba said, his officers also seized 145 sacks of 10kg each and 120 parcels of  1kg each of Indian hemp.

    The monetary value of the Indian hemp, the Controller said, is N72,960,000.

    Others contrabands intercepted by the officers and men of the unit were expired rice, frozen poultry, used tyres, used clothes and general merchandise.

    The Controller said the seizures were made between August 9 and 25, 2017.

    He listed other contraband intercepted within the period as including: 1, 237 of 50 kg bags of  rice valued at N15.2million; 137 bales of second hand clothing and lace material with DPV of N27million; 523 pieces of used tyres valued at N2.8 million.

    Others are 1,393 cartons of frozen poultry, one container marked FCIU 8437297 laden with used cars and other contraband, one container number, TCLU 178477/5 laden with 308 used truck tyres and tubes and. 858 cartons of rechargeable inverter battery packed in container marked PCIU 1884380.

    Garba added that the anti-smuggling unit recovered N252,1million from duty payments and demand notices on general goods intercepted outside the seaports, airports and borders.

    Garba said that the amount was realised from wrong classification, transfer of value and shortchange in duty payment.

    The Indian hemp and the fake drugs  were handed over at the event, to the official of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) respectively.

     

  • NAFDAC seals shops, seize goods worth millions in Edo

    NAFDAC seals shops, seize goods worth millions in Edo

    The National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed two shops and seize products worth millions of Naira, for the sale of counterfeited products in Benin City on Wednesday.

    The team of NAFDAC Officers and mobile policemen led by the Head of Taskforce on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Process Foods, Mr. Ejiofor Kingsley stormed the popular Mission road in Oredo Local government of Edo State, to conduct inspection on assorted drinks, with many marketers scrambling to prove authenticity of their products to avoid arrest.

    The team conducted series of test on different wines and other assorted drinks, which eventually led to closure of two shops belonging to one Mrs Oluchi Peters and another unidentified.

    In a chat with journalists Mr Ejiofor said that NAFDAC as a law enforcement agency, owe it to the public to protect and preserve lives, disclosing that the number of fake goods in the market is on the increase.

    According to him “We believe we owe a duty to the nation and the society to save lives. The products we have seized today are all counterfeited products, they are products that people ingest and they kill.

    “We know what is going on in the society, the incidence of cancer is increasing and there is need for Government to do something about it, that is why we are here and appealing to all consumers to check products properly especially assorted drinks before purchasing them”.

    He also revealed that some dealers now mix chemicals and other substances to produce wines, noting that the agency is not out to destroy businesses of individuals, but to maintain sanity and evict fake products from the society.

    “We have instances where people mix all sought of concussion and even uses “formalin” chemical that is use in embalming corpses in these drinks, I mean we are talking about lives here, no amount of money is worth people’s life.

    He further said that the agency will commence investigation on the seized products before fate of the suspects will be disclosed, but however urged dealers in food, drinks, cosmetics, detergent and chemicals to register their products with the agency in order to ease detection of unwholesome products.

    Ejiofor however enjoined members of the public to support NAFDAC in the fight against counterfeited and fake products from the market, stating that it is a collective responsibility we all must uphold and encourage.

  • UNN graduate jailed seven years for selling fake drugs

    UNN graduate jailed seven years for selling fake drugs

    A 35-year-old woman, Clara Onah, was Wednesday sentenced to seven years in prison by the Federal High Court, Lagos for selling fake drugs.

    Onah, from Enugu State, was charged by the National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on behalf of the Federal Government.

    A graduate of Microbiology of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a post-graduate student of Mass Communication, Onah resides at No 12, Mosalashi St., Alagbado Lagos.

    She was arraigned on February 15 and pleaded guilty to a five-count charge bordering on possession and sale of fake drugs, offences committed on January 26.

    The prosecutor Mr. Shamaki Umar had told the court that the accused sold fake brand of 200 mg of Amazon Amagyl Metronidazole tablets to members of the public.

    The accused was remanded in prison pending the review of facts.

    Wednesday, Umar reviewed the facts of the case and presented the laboratory analysis of the confiscated drugs which showed that they were fake and contained 20 rather than 200 milligrams

    The convict’s counsel Mr. Chinedu Moore in his allocutus pleaded for leniency and urged the court to temper justice with mercy. He submitted that apart from the fact that she was sick, she was also a first time offender who did not have the intent to manufacture or sell fake drugs.

    Amidst sobs the woman herself also pleaded for mercy, saying she didn’t know the drugs were fake.

    But the prosecutor urged the court to award her the maximum sentence according to the law.

    He said: “When she was asked to show the operatives of NAFDAC where the drugs were being manufactured, she took them to an unknown address that does not exist. When they eventually traced her residence, they discovered items she used in manufacturing the drugs such as weighing scales and labels.

    “With all intent and purposes my lord, she was manufacturing them herself. Therefore, I urge my lord to award maximum sentence as provided by law so as to serve as deterrent to others.”

    In his judgment, Justice (Prof.) Chuka Obiozor said: “I will give you a second chance as a first offender but those who took your drugs and died had no second chance”.

    He reprimanded the convict for being a 2:1 graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka who chose to deal on fake drugs instead of staying in the village to find something worthy to do, if she could not get a decent job in Lagos.

    The judge said: “Clara Onah, you are hereby sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the women wing of the Kirikiri Maximum Prison on each of the count charges. They are to run concurrently starting from January 26, when you were arrested and detained.

    “The convict was also fined N50,000 on count five. The prosecution should hold on to the exhibits pending the elapse of the time of appeal of this judgment. At the elapse of appeal window, the prosecution should destroy it.”

    The offences contravened the provisions of section 1(1) (a), 3, and 3 (1) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Unwholesome Processed Foods, (Miscellaneous Provision) Act Cap 34, Laws of the Federation, 2004.