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Tag: NAFDAC

  • BoI donates high-tech equipment to NAFDAC

    BoI donates high-tech equipment to NAFDAC

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)  has taken delivery of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC),an essential equipment  for pharmaceutical analyses.It will enhance performance and boost revenue.It was  donated by the Bank of Industry.

    At the inauguration at the NAFDAC Central Drug Control Laboratory, Lagos where it is installed, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Binta A. Bello, said the ministry acknowledged the donation because HPLC is an equipment amongst other devices required in NAFDAC laboratory and it is expensive.  ’’Given the limited subventions from the Federal Government, NAFDAC cannot purchase same among other teeming demands, not even  with the Federal Government’s proposed budget for health sector of N304 billion,’’she said.

    Before the donation, NAFDAC could not process high output of samples within minutes. But with the acquisition of the HPLC, it can now afford its laboratory analysts to handle various products, as much as 200, within 60 seconds.

    The Managing Director of BOI, Waheed Olagunju, said the bank decided to donate the equipment so as to assist members of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) because most of their products could not be registered nor exported because NAFDAC could not analyse them.

    “The various investments then get tied down not deliberately by NAFDAC but because it lacked the required tool to do so. HPLC is a very sensitive machine for pharmaceutical analyses. We are happy for this partnership. It is in the best interest of all- BOI, SMEs and NAFDAC and Nigeria. It is a good partnership,” said Olagunju.

    The NAFDAC Acting DG, Mrs Yetunde Oni, said the agency is committed to quality and timely releases of laboratory reports, hence its quest for top notch laboratories with adequate equipment and well trained staff to perform optimally at all times.

    Mrs Oni said the donation of the latest model of 1260 series of Agilent HPLC to NAFDAC will strengthen its regulatory operations.

    “NAFDAC has seven laboratories. Four have international accreditation. It will promote ease of doing business in Nigeria, thereby supporting the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari for a better Nigeria. This HPLC will avail our laboratory analysts the opportunity to work with user-friendly, high in-put, sensitive instrument with multiple detectors that can handle various product types like pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, veterinary and other regulated products. It will also equip our analysts to detect and pronounce on substandard and falsified medical products, as well as unwholesome foods in our collective efforts to protect public health,” she said.

    Mrs Oni assured that NAFDAC has obtained ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation in 2015 after due assessment by ANAB Accreditation body from USA. “These certifications help to assure that analytical tests conducted in our laboratory are timely, reproducible and accurate thus fulfilling NAFDAC mandate of ensuring that only safe and right quality medicines are sold and used in the country,” she noted.

  • BoI collaborates with NAFDAC on new drug laboratory

    BoI collaborates with NAFDAC on new drug laboratory

    The Bank of Industry (Bol)  in collaboration with National Agency For Food, Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) inaugurated a new Agilent High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

    At the inuguration of the facility in Lagos, during the week, the Acting Managing Director, Bol, Mr. Waheed Olagunju,  said the essence of the collaboration was to reduce time wasting and  enhance efficiency while carrying out sample tests for the products it regulates.

    He stated that with the machine, over 200 samples of different products would be tested within 24 hours as against five, which was the traditional practice.

    Olagunju pointed out that the turnaround time for the equipment is within 60 days, stressing that the laboratory equipment will enhance acceleration of the process of accessing loans from BoI.

    He said; “We have been supporting members of the Pharmaceutical Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN). This is the beginning of our long time collaboration with NAFDAC.

    “If you don’t have NAFDAC number, you can’t sell your product. Unless we are sure you will sell your product we will not approve loans for you. With this collaboration, NAFDAC would be saddled with the responsibility of recording those qualified to access loans. “‘

    NAFDAC Acting Managing Director Mrs. Yetunde Oni said the instrument would avail the agency and its laboratory analysts the opportunity to work with user-friendly, high output, sensitive instrument with multiple detectors that can handle various product types.

    She said this would enable NAFDAC to improve on the timelines of analysis of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, veterinary and other regulated products.

    Oni said:  “It will also equip our analysts to detect substandard and falsified medical products as well as unwholesome foods in our collective efforts to protect public health. This collaboration  is the beginning of greater ties between both organisations to promote and encourage the ease of doing business in Nigeria.”

    According to her,  the central drug control laboratory  is one of the seventh laboratories the agency depended on to make pronouncement on the quality of regulated products, especially human and  herbal medicines, cosmetics and medical devices.

    She appealed for greater support  from key stakeholders in keeping the laboratory fully functional .

    The NAFDAC boss  also urged the supervising ministry  to post  nurses and physicians to work in the clinic.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Binta Bello,  in her remarks, employed  all stake holders to support NAFDAC in the  maintenance of the instrument.

    According to her, the instrument will enhance regular training and retraining of staffs on current analytical techniques in quality control and  quality assurance of medicines.

    Since these laboratory equipment’s operations are capital intensive and capital budget release is never adequate, Mrs. Bello urged them to explore opportunities to raise funds to sustain operation of the laboratories.

    Bello said government was delighted to be part of the success story in the  unveiling of the laboratory equipment ensuring that they signed the MoU on behalf of NAFDAC with Bol.

  • Woman docked for producing ‘fake’ ethanol gin

    The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday remanded one Nkiru Kalu in police custody for allegedly producing unwholesome ethanol gin also known as ogogoro.

    Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo remanded the defendant in the custody of the Police Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos, pending hearing of her bail application.

    The court rejected prosecuting counsel, Shamaki Umar’s oral application that the defendant, who pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge, be remanded in prison.

    Justice Oguntoyinbo adjourned hearing of the bail application till May 5 and June 29 for commencement of trial.

    Kalu, of Kilometre 16, Ojo, Badagry, Lagos, was arraigned by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) on a charge bordering on the production and selling of unregistered processed food.

    Prosecuting counsel, Shamaki Umar, from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), said NAFDAC officials arrested the defendant in Badagry on February 23.

    He alleged that Kalu was found in possession of “unwholesome processed food to wit: ethanol drink” contrary to and punishable under Section (1)(a) and 3(1)(a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Cap 34 LFN 2004.

    The court also heard that Kalu obstructed NAFDAC officers from performing their duties.

     

  • MSMEs clinics: we are on track to impact 360,000 MSMEs yearly – Presidency

    MSMEs clinics: we are on track to impact 360,000 MSMEs yearly – Presidency

    Mr Tola Johnson, the Special Advicer to Vice President Osinbajo on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) says the Federal Government’s goal to empower 360,000 MSMEs annually is on course.

    Johnson, a member of the recently inaugurated 22-member council for Nigeria’s MSMEs sector said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

    According to him, the empowerment process is being done through the MSMEs clinics.

    The MSMEs clinics is an initiative of the Presidency, aimed at addressing grassroots problems of MSMES across Nigeria.

    Vice President Osibanjo had inaugurated the programme in January in Aba, which was home to many local manufacturers in the country.

    “The target of the MSMEs clinics is to try and affect positively, the lives of 360,000 MSMEs in a year. People keep saying it is a very tall order, but it is achievable.

    “So far, we have only gone to three states and we have successfully engaged with 4,602 MSMEs and we haven’t even touched Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kano.

    “In May, I’m sure the number will double significantly because we are going to five states.’’

    Johnson said that the Federal Government was presently working toward reopening at least six industrial development parks in the country, one for every region.

    “The government has about 23 industrial parks, only about two or three of them are working, the others are moribund.

    “We have gone to inspect the one in Abuja for a start, and look at a few around the country, to see how we can either through Public Private Partnership or whichever way the government decides to quickly reactivate at least six.

    “We plan to have SMES access them, because what this does for them is that it will help solve many of their business problems.

    “When they co-exist in a shared facility, once NAFDAC regulates and confirms that this shared facility meets the standard, you have made the standard, she has made the standard, and he has made the standard.

    “Also, these clusters of 50 to 200 businesses won’t likely be asked for collateral. Your access to loan will be easier and you will not be as risky as you were before.

    “So, the industrial development parks will de-risk the sector in those aspects,” he said.

    Johnson said that from the 4,602 MSMEs they had interacted with so far, contrary to common belief, access to finance was not the main bottleneck of MSMEs in the country.

    For instance, he said many of them do not know how to put up a profit and loss account, which hinders effective management of funds.

    He said first of all, owners of MSMEs in the country were in dire need of capacity building then access to the right kind of financing facility.

    “This is why you have businesses that open in January and shutdown in December. So many of them need capacity building then access to finance.

    “Access to finance has to be in the right structure to be of benefit to MSMEs, because if you want a loan you can go to any commercial bank and get it at 25 to 30 per cent.

    “However, access to finance for at least five years tenure, single digit is the right structure for these businesses and the government is already working to address this with the newly established Development Bank of Nigeria.

    “The core function of the DBN is to address the bottlenecks in the MSMEs sector.

    “It intends to clean it up, make it more attractive and serve as wholesale banker to commercial banks, Microfinance banks so they can lend to the MSMEs at a good rate and longer tenure.’’

    Johnson said that through the MSMEs clinics, other challenges faced by the businesses were being addressed on the spot, from difficulties getting NAFDAC number, adequate electricity and tax clearance, among others.

    “I can tell you that at least, hundreds of NAFDAC numbers have been collected since we started the clinics.

    “For NAFDAC, when the clinics started, the first thing they did was to reduce MSMEs product registration by 50 per cent.

    “Bank of Industry (BoI) also decided that the MSMEs fund they had inaugurated about two years ago, which wasn’t doing particularly well, they said `you know what, lets re-launch this fund this year in line with the MSMEs clinics.

    “We told them you cannot use universal criteria to judge the MSMEs. So try and reduce some of the criteria.

    “If you have your documentation right, if you need between one and N10 million credit facility, you don’t need collateral. Just get two solid guarantors. So once this is achieved, it will be a step forward,” he said.

    When asked if the government may consider granting tax breaks to MSMEs as encouragement, Johnson said the government was looking at every option that could make their lives easier and better.

    “From the Federal Inland Revenue Service, to the Vice President, they are looking at so many options, to give MSMEs breathing space to strive and expand,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that other members of the council include the Ministers of Finance, Trade and Investment, Budget and National Planning, Agriculture, Power, Works and Housing, Central Bank Governor, and President Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

  • NAFDAC warns against sale of unregistered drugs

    NAFDAC warns against sale of unregistered drugs

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Akwa Ibom State has advised pharmaceutical stores to sell registered drugs and maintain good storage facilities.

    The Coordinator, Mr. Collins Ogedegbe, gave the advice yesterday during inspection of pharmaceutical stores in Uyo.

    He said the exercise was to mop up drugs that ought not to be in circulation and those not properly stored.

    During the inspection, pharmacies were found selling unregistered products, such as food supplements, honey, etc; while sensitive drugs were not properly stored.

    Ogedegbe, an assistant director, said the products were removed and the pharmacies would be sanctioned.

    He said: “This exercise will cover the whole state. It is in furtherance of the agency’s alert by its Pharmaco-Vigilance and Post Marketing Surveillance arm that drugs that are not supposed to be in circulation (such as high dose tramadol) should be mopped up.”

    The coordinator decried a situation where dubious bakers used other people’s labels to sell their bread, saying anybody caught doing this would be prosecuted.

    He said: “If you finish your label, please go and print new ones and avoid the temptation of using another person’s label, which is criminal.”

    Ogedegbe said NAFDAC carried out analysis of registered bread and the results were satisfactory, adding that a few unregistered ones were shut down and asked to begin registration.

    He stressed NAFDAC’s commitment to encourage and guide producers once they adhere to the guidelines.

  • NAFDAC confiscates fake, expired products worth N15m

    The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has  mopped-up fake and expired foods, drugs, cosmetics and other products worth N15million in Nasarawa State.

    Mr Michael Attah, the Coordinator of the Agency in the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lafia that the products were confiscated from January to date.

    Attah said that most of the products were mopped-up during routine checks at shops and pharmacies across the state.

    He added that some expired products, especially drugs, were voluntarily submitted by individuals.

    “Last week, the owner of a particular pharmaceutical shop submitted drugs worth about N5 million to us for destruction.

    “We commended this gesture and urged other spirited Nigerians to emulate,’’ he said.

    Attah, however, decried the high rate of drug abuse among youths in the state and stressed the need for strong collaboration among stakeholders to curb the menace.

    “We have concluded plans to intensify our sensitization and advocacy to traditional rulers to help educate their subjects on the need to shun drug abuse and safe their lives,’’ Attah said.

    Attah said that the agency had opened an office in Karu to effectively regulate the unwholesome practices there following the growing population of the state, especially, along the Abuja corridor.

    He said that the agency was also collaborating with the state and local government areas to have desk officers, who would facilitate the agency’s assignments across the state.

    He also condemned attacks on some of the agency’s personnel by some youths in parts of the state.

    Attah said that they should not see NAFDAC officials as their enemies; rather they should see them as friends.

    The coordinator appealed to the state government to provide the agency operational vehicles to enable it effectively safeguard the health of the people.

  • Poisonous cassava: NAFDAC to sensitise farmers, food outlets in Kogi, Ondo

    Poisonous cassava: NAFDAC to sensitise farmers, food outlets in Kogi, Ondo

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says arrangements are on to sensitise farmers in Kogi and Ondo on how to handle food chain from the farms to consumers’ table.

    The NAFDAC Director, Special Duties, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, said operators of fast food outlets in both states would also be trained.

    NAN reports that the sensitisation is coming on the heels of the death of nine people after consuming “amala’’ meal made from poisonous cassava flour.
    The incident occurred in Ogaminana, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi state in November, 2016.

    Jimoh explained that NAFDAC had carried out investigation into the incident with a view to addressing the problem.

    He added that some people also consumed poisonous beans in some places.

    Jimoh said the agency had taken statistics of farmers and operators of all food outlets in both states that would participate in a workshop to be organised by the agency.

    According to him, they will be trained on how to handle critical aspects of food chain from the farms to consumers’ table.

    “We shall train farmers on the best practices and the correct way of applying fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and other chemicals for storage of their harvests.

    “We will also teach farmers how to dry their produce because they often spread them on the express way where such are exposed to contamination and it is hazardous to the health of members of the public.

    “Though, this is not part of the mandate of NAFDAC as we deal mainly with processed foods, but we cannot close our eyes in a matter that affects peoples’ health,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • SON, NAFDAC reiterate commitment to ease of doing business

    The Director General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Osita Aboloma, has reiterated his agency’s commitment to promoting the ease of doing business among local industries in the food and beverages sector by exempting them from payment of some service charges among other concessions.

    Aboloma, who stated this during the visit of the Acting Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Yetunde Oni to his office earlier in the week, insisted that the agency is supporting the growth of local industries in the various sectors of the nation’s economy through the diligent application of standards and quality assurance programs.

    According to him, once the industries show evidence of registration with NAFDAC, they get concessions ranging from exemption from service charges, product registration fees to waivers in importation of raw materials and machinery.

    Aboloma added that the SON has a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) detailing concessions to bonafide members of the Association.

    He stressed that the document is currently undergoing review by a joint committee of the two organizations to reflect current realities of the nation’s economy.

    He emphasized the need for SON and NAFDAC to improve on the synergy between the two agencies in order to actualize Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s directive for them to certify Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSEs) throughout the country within two months of receiving applications from them.

    Speaking earlier, the NAFDAC chief commended the enormous collaboration between the two agencies and appealed for proper handling of areas of overlap in functions in the interest of the nation’s economy.

     

     

  • NAFDAC arrests nursing mother, seven others over adulterated drinks

    NAFDAC arrests nursing mother, seven others over adulterated drinks

    The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Saturday raided the Ogbaru relief market, near Onitsha, arresting eight persons over their alleged involvement in the production of fake alcoholic drinks.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the suspects is a nursing mother.

    The agency also sealed three shops in the market,confiscating adulterated drinks and production materials worth millions of Naira

    Some registered drinks, being adulterated in the market included J&W, Baron Romero, Lord’s dry gin, Seaman Schnapps, Carlo Rossi, Red Label, Hennessy, McDowell’s and Remy Martins, among others.

    Addressing newsmen after the raid, Mr Waheed Agboola, Assistant Director, Enforcement and Investigation Directorate of NAFDAC in Lagos, expressed displeasure over the unhygienic production sites.

    “Factories are not supposed to be cited in markets; the factories are in unhygienic environment and we even saw maggots and cockroaches.

    “These fake products are sold within the market and it is difficult to differentiate between the original and fake products,’’ Agboola said.

    According to him, fake products are largely responsible for the increase in people having liver and kidney problems.

    “The unwholesome practice must have been taking place for years because we saw receipts, dated as far back as 2006, and nobody reported until recently.’’ he lamented.

    Agboola said the eight suspects would be screened to ascertain their level of culpability.

    He added that some of the suspects might be taken to Lagos for further investigation while others would be prosecuted in Onitsha.

    Also speaking, Mr Hassan Tanko, Chief Regulatory Officer, Enforcement and Investigation Directorate of the agency in Lagos, called for collaboration between the market leadership and the agency, to stem counterfeiting.

    He said the agency would sustain its sensitisation campaign against unwholesome practices, as well as prosecute suspects to serve as deterrence to others.

    “Nigerians are not fair to themselves from what we saw at the market’

    “We will invite the management of the market to explain why counterfeiting is taking place in the market,’’ Tanko said.

  • Customs seizes 5,056 cartons of fake drugs in Lagos

    Customs seizes 5,056 cartons of fake drugs in Lagos

    …Ali urges agents to shelve proposed strike

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded truckloads of 5,056 cartons of fake drugs imported into the country by some scrupulous importers.

    The fake items were intercepted at Idiroko border, Sango Otta axis and Lagos/ Ibadan expressway by the officers and men of the Federal Operation Unit (FOU) ,  Zone ‘A’  Ikeja, Lagos.

    Addressing reporters at Federal Government warehouse in Lagos yesterday, its Comptroller-General Col. Hameed Ali said the seized items were inimical to the health of the country because they do not have official NAFDAC number

    The fake drugs, the CGC said, has a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N252.6 million.

    The DPV excluded the market value of the drugs that runs into several millions of naira.

    Majority of the fake items, Ali said, were imported from China and India by the scrupulous importers who are at large.

    Some of the seized items included REALLY EXTRA with effective relieve from pain and fever inscribed on its cartoons; Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablet (Royal) of 225mg and Tramadol Caps of 120mg each.

    The Customs boss said that the drugs which came in various milligrams and different packages were impounded because they fall under the import prohibition list.

    “These are dangerous drugs which mostly our youths take as a way of relieving their stress. They are not drugs meant for consumption. They are completely under prohibition yet these things still find their way into the country. The drugs reduce youths to nothing and anybody who keeps taking these drugs will not be useful to himself and the society,” he said.

    Ali expressed concern at the spate of smuggling of unregistered drugs and other contraband goods in to the country despite severe consequences for offenders.

    “We are profiling those involve in the importation of this drugs and the law will take its course. I can’t imagine that a Nigerian for the sake of money decide to bring this type of drug into the country.
    “When people say Customs is disturbing us on the road, we cannot but do what we are doing. We need to have the three layers of defence in order to accost this type of thing. Otherwise, if we limit it to only the port or the borders, a lot of these things we find their way in to the country.
    “We are not deliberately harassing people but we are trying to secure and protect the society which is one our mandate to make sure that everyone is protected .

    “I also agree that our officers are compromising otherwise this things will not find their way here. So it is realization of this compromise of our officers that will have to put layers of defence. If you compromise the first layer, you will not be able to compromise the second layer or third layer. This is what we will continue to do until Nigerians begin to realise that things like this are inimical to our own progress and health and dangerous to our economy,” he said.

    He said while some suspects have been arrested, investigation is ongoing to bring to book others involve including officers in the importation of the drugs.

    Ali, therefore, calls on the media and Nigerians to provide the Service with useful information that will help nip smuggling of prohibited drugs and other contraband in the bud.

    One of the drug laden trucks intercepted by Customs has AW 265 XJ as its registration number.

    In a related development, Col Ali  has also appealed to the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to shelve its proposed strike.
    Ali made the appeal when he visited the national secretariat of the group in Lagos, yesterday.

    ANALCA had issued a 21 day strike notice to the Federal Government  over extortion of its members at the ports.

    Col  Ali however, assured the group that the challenges facing the clearing agents are not unknown to the government and that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is working round the lock to address the problems.

    The Customs boss, who arrived at the ANLCA secretariat to kick-start his meeting with freight forwarding associations also appealed to the association to shelve the 21 days strike notice which it had issued last week to the Federal government, over extortion of its members at the port.

    He assured that the customs is working on addressing the challenges raised by the agents even as he assured that the decisions would be appreciated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
    “I want to appeal to you as the Customs CG and the Buhari administration  to please exercise some patience on your strike notice, I can assure you that with this new synergy, the challenges will be tackled, we would do something” he said.

    Col Ali also urged the agents to be his “eyes and ears” in the industry, stressing that the Customs and the agents are partners in progress.

    In his speech, the National President of ANLCA; Prince Olayiwola Shittu pointed out  the challenges militating against quick cargo clearance at the port.

    The challenges, according to him, include: multiplicity of alerts, FOU interception of cargoes, the need for uniformed value on vehicles and challenges associated with ETLS cargoes among others.

    He lamented the multiplicity of check points along the border stations and clearance desks mounted at the ports by Customs officers to frustrate genuine importers from doing their jobs as required by law.

    Shittu therefore, urged Customs to embrace paperless transactions (single window platform) as it is done in other clime to facilitate trade and reduce corruption.