The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NAFDAC

  • Economy: Nafdac official charges Nigerians to look inward

    Economy: Nafdac official charges Nigerians to look inward

    Assistant Director, NAFDAC, in charge of Veterinary Medicine Division, Dr. Sadiq Yunus, has charged Nigerians to look inward in solving the current dwindling economy by producing their requirements and shun foreign goods that have local substitutes.

    “With our present depressing economy, Nigerians should not allow the country continue to be a dumping ground for other foreign finished products that have substitutes here” he stressed.

    Yunus, leading a team of NAFDAC top officials, was speaking yesterday at a one-day training/sensitization workshop on production and post production handling of antibiotics, vitamins and agrochemicals, organized by NAFDAC in conjunction with the Association of Animal Health and Agrochemical Producers, held at Ijegun near Ikotun, Lagos.

    The NAFDAC boss explained that the economic problem is an opportunity for Nigerians to brace up and develop their own local industries and save our hard-earned foreign exchange from depletion. But he emphasized that their production must pass NAFDAC tests and regulations and meet international standards and practice.

    Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of Association of Animal Health and Agrochemical Producers, Mr. Tunde Adewoye,  said his members were doing their best producing animal health and agrochemicals that compared favourably with imported products, apart from meeting NAFDAC standard and regulations.

  • NAFDAC bans beans import

    NAFDAC bans beans import

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has prohibited beans import into the country except those screened by the agency.

    The acting Director General of the agency, Mrs. Yetunde Oni said this in Minna, the Niger State capital, while declaring open a workshop on safe and responsible use of regulated agricultural inputs.

    She said the banned beans are those rejected in the European Union (EU) and also do not have NAFDAC certification.

    “All the beans that passed through NAFDAC and issued EU certification of food and health impact on Nigerians do not get rejected. The ones that have been banned are those ones that never passed through NAFDAC,” she said.

    Oni explained that though beans are not under the purview of NAFDAC, the agency intends to work with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that beans eaten by Nigerians are safe.

    “Beans is an agricultural produce, as opposed to a semi or fully processed regulated product under the purview of NAFDAC and such products are food, drugs, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water and detergents. These are the ones that are under our purview.

    “But because we have seen that the beans are a raw material into a final product that is regulated by NAFDAC, we are now talking of collaboration with one another so that all relevant stakeholders will join hands towards a common goal of ensuring that only good quality regulated products are available for consumption, for sales, distribution, advertisement, information and importation into the country.”

    She further stated that the Agency did some analysis on these produce to check the pesticide residents adding that the agency noticed that there were high pesticide resident in most agricultural produce.

    The Acting DG further expressed  concern over the methods and products involved in modern agriculture calling for the use of safe, quality and efficacious farm inputs adding that the use of substandard and unapproved feedstuff and feed ingredients in preparing animal feeds is unacceptable as there will now be strict control mechanism of these inputs by the agency.

    “The Agency has taken steps to ensure that inputs used in livestock production such as animal feeds, feed concentrates, feed additives and premixes are safe and efficacious for their intended use. The quality must meet standard specifications and presentations in terms of labelling must be adequate so that the products are handled safely”, Oni stated.

    She called every defaulting industry and individual to order calling them to establish collaboration with professional associations in order to create awareness before enforcement, “it is expected that compliance by industry will lead to quality products, growth of the industry, our economy and enhanced food security.

    “NAFDAC as a regulatory body believes strongly in corrective regulation, that does not reflect weakness, therefore sanction will always follow all uncooperative and reluctant stakeholders’ actions at the appropriate time”, she asserted.

    In his address, the Director of Veterinary medicine and Allied Products (VMAP), Dr. Bukar Ali Usman said the unethical use of pesticides in crop production and handling along the value chain have been identifies as one of the major reasons for the high residue of diclophos in farm produce in the country.

    He added that the production of safe feed and food requires the effective and continuous monitoring of all steps along the production chain stressing on the need to take good cognizance of the system used in the production of the materials.

     

  • NDLEA seizes drugs worth N13 million in Kaduna

    NDLEA seizes drugs worth N13 million in Kaduna

    National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kaduna State Friday paraded suspected fake drug dealer, Uche Chinyere in possession of expired tramadol drugs worth over 13 million naira.

    Parading the suspect before newsmen in Kaduna, the State Commander, Samuel Azige said the suspect was arrested in possession of 1,544 cartoons of expired tramadol drugs since 2014 and each cartoon cost N9060.

    Azige said the suspect was not just arrested because the drugs were expired but that it will increase crime activities in the state.

    He said the suspect was arrested after a tip off by members of the public.

    According to him, “NDLEA Friday in Zaria arrested a man by name Uche Chinyere. The suspect was arrested in his shop in Kano but has ware house in Zaria where he stores his goods.

    “So we got intelligence on him. It took us about two months and yesterday finally got him arrested.

    “The total number of 1544 cartons of Tramadol drug. It weigh over 15 tonnes of tramadol and each of the carton cost N9060.

    “He has been in the business for long. He told us he expended over N12million on the drugs. The most disturbing aspect is that the drugs are expired since 2014 but he is still stocking them and selling them which is very dangerous. NAFDAC has been campaigning and creating awareness on the dangers of taking expiry drugs.

    “This is someone that does not have the interest of the people at heart but after making money. So he sells these drugs whether they are useful or not useful. As far as he is concerned let him make his money. That is the bottom line.

    “Initially we didn’t know that the drug were expired until after we recovered the drug and we went through the sachet. It was then we discovered that the drugs have expired as far back as 2014. But the bottom line is that this man was arrested because he stored these drugs and he is not trained to handle this drug but only a pharmacist that can dispense the drugs. So he was arrested base on the fact that he was not suppose to be in possession of the drug.

    “Again, you can imagine the gravity of crime the police will battle with if these have been allowed to go into the society.

    “But honestly, I have to thank my officers because I must commend them for a wonderful job. They work diligently and were able to arrest this man.

    “We want to thank the Kaduna state government for the logistics support we have continued to receive from them. These has also enhanced our performance and lead to the recent achievement and arrests made in the state,” he said.

    Azige however said investigation is already on into the matter and in the next one week the suspect will be charged to court.

    Meanwhile, interrogating the suspect, Uche Chinyere who claimed to be a patient medicine dealer admitted that the drugs were expired and that he has been planning to contact the NDLEA and NAFDAC to dispose the drugs before his arrest.

  • Lagos clamps down on depot for selling ‘expired’ products

    For allegedly revalidating the expiry dates on some of its product and reselling to customers, Haano Industries Limited fish depot was Tuesday sealed by the Lagos State government.

    The depot located at 114 road, Oba Akran was cordoned off by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and the Ministry of Health after a tip off on the activities of the operators.

    It was learnt that the security operatives laid siege on the cold room Monday evening, to avoid the contamination of evidence site as well as provide security for the ministry’s officials who inspected the place Tuesday morning.

    The Nation gathered that the officials after Inspecting four cold rooms of the company containing several tons of fish, sealed the premises.

    Led by an Environmental Health Officer of the ministry, Kuforiji Adebayo, the team it was learnt, stated that the closure was to allow for thorough laboratory investigation of the fish found in the cold rooms.

    According to Adebayo: “This place is being sealed for health analysis. The samples of the consignment being taken are for laboratory analysis. What we have met on ground is highly suggestive of the fact that there are questionable practices.

    “What has been established is that there is fraud. We have found that the company is revalidating the expiry of its products. As a responsive and responsible Government, we would not fold our arms and allow unwholesome fish to be sold to residents.

    “What we have seen indicates the condition of the fish before they were frozen were not okay, that is why there are blood stains in the cartoon of the fish.

    “If the labels are being changed now, the impression it leaves is that the labels might have been changed before the investigations.”

    Earlier, the company’s fish manager, Sabir Alli denied the allegations that the company was revalidating the expiry dates, adding that their products that would be expiring next month would have been sold before then.

    Alli said the stickers littering the lobby of the cold rooms fell off because of the shifting of fish cartoons to create space for new consignments.

    When contacted, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, an SP, said the police received a tip off about two weeks ago that the company was changing the expiry dates on its products.

    She stated that the police quietly monitored to ensure that the allegations were not sponsored by rival firms and took time to catch them in the act.

    “We got a call from our source on Monday that they were revalidating the products and we decided to swing into action.

    “This was confirmed by a lot of the stickers found in the lobby with March 2016 as expiry date. Our source within the company indicated that the revalidation of the expiry date was done in the lobby of the cold room and corridor, and that is why the place was littered with expired and new stickers.

    “Police would liaise with the Lagos State Ministry of Health to carry out further test so that we can get to the bottom of this,”she added.

     

  • EU support drug trafficking, illicit drugs fight with €36m

    EU support drug trafficking, illicit drugs fight with €36m

    Nigeria government fight against drug trafficking and illicit drugs has received a boost as the European Union (EU) support the effort with €36 million.

    The Deputy Head of EU Delegation in Nigeria, Mr. Richard Young, disclosed this while donating 11 Hilux vehicles to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in Abuja, Tuesday.

    The EU funded the purchase of the vehicles while the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are the technical partners.

    Ten out of the 11 Hilux vehicles were given to NDLEA while one was give to NAFDAC Young expressed worries that drug trafficking still remains one of the major threats to human security affecting the political, social and cultural development of every society.

    The Toyota Hilux vehicles, according to the EU head of delegation were distributed based on the outcome of an assessment carried out on the agencies.

    He explained that the donation of the vehicles was aimed at “supporting policy formulation and to improve drug regulation and coordination; improve law enforcement capacity in tackling organized drug related crimes and to enhance drug prevention, treatment and care services in Nigeria.

    “This project is to support Nigerian Government in its efforts to fight illicit drug production, trafficking and use. It is also to curb related organized crime including counterfeit narcotics and psychotropic substances.

    “I am pleased to see that there is a new national drug master plan that was launched last year. I know that it was put together by a wide support of stakeholders.”

    The envoy also announced that EU has so far supported Nigeria in the review and implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan, strategic drug control approach, 29 law enforcement training courses, training of 1,000 health practitioners in charge of drug abuse treatment and care as well as school based enlightenment programmes.

    Reacting to the gessture, the Director of Administration of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, disclosed that the prevention of circulation of fake and substandard drugs was a herculean task, hence the agency had decided to embark on collaborative efforts with others agencies in order to succeed.

    While applauding EU and the UNODC for the donation of the vehicle, she, however, requested for more vehicles so as to effectively cover other sensitive areas in the country.

    She vowed that the vehicles will be used judiciously for the purpose they are meant for.
     

  • EU presents operational vehicles to NDLEA, NAFDAC

    The European Union has donated vehicles to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    The presentation was made at the United Nations House, Abuja, by the EU Deputy Head of Delegation, Mr. Richard Young.

    The support is part of an ongoing project, Response to Drugs and Related Organised Crime in Nigeria funded by the EU while the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are the technical partners.

    The Toyota Hilux vehicles were distributed based on the outcome of an assessment carried out on the agencies.

    10 vehicles were given to NDLEA and one to NAFDAC.

    According to Mr. Young, the objective of the EU project is to support the country’s fight against narcotics.

    “This project is to support Nigerian Government in its efforts to fight illicit drug production, trafficking and use. It is also to curb related organized crime including counterfeit narcotics and psychotropic substances.”

    The NDLEA Chairman, Col. Muhammad Abdallah, thanked the EU, UNODC and other partners for the donation, which he said was one of several benefits of the project.

     

     

  • NAFDAC as change agent

    NAFDAC as change agent

    Historically, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was conceptualised for implementation in December 1992. That was when its first governing council was formed. In January the following year, the supporting legislation Decree No. 15 of 1993, was approved by the then Armed Forces Ruling Council of Nigeria to lay the foundation for its effective take off on January 1, 1994, as parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health to replace the ministry’s ex-Directorate of Food and Drug Administration and Control. That was 22 years ago!

    Statutorily, the agency is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and pre-packaged water in Nigeria. Its creation was inspired by a 1988 World Health Assembly resolution requesting member-countries’ help in combating the global health threat posed by counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and amidst concerns about the growing problem of fake and poorly regulated drugs in Nigeria. The effects of drug faking and adulteration can be felt from both the country of manufacture to the recipient countries. Nigeria has had more than her fair share of the effects of this menace. I must, however, commendably add that she is also winning the war.

    The institution of NAFDAC 22 years ago has become the most progressive step taken by the nation’s leaders in the fight against food and drug faking and adulteration. The agency has been most aggressive and innovative in designing and deploying regulation and control best practices in line with global trends.  It has carried on very well its responsibility of intensifying continuous search for the means of maximally improving the professionalism of the key players in the nation’s pharmaceutical and food sectors.

    Expectedly, NAFDAC’s laborious efforts as a regulator are such that they are positioned to midwife a change for progress in the country. In its change agent role, the agency has become a revolutionizing catalyst for progressive change and modernization. In the process, Nigeria has been reaping bountiful dividends.

    Nigeria is lucky to have in President Muhammadu Buhari a change-compliant leader. He and his economic team have demonstrated the panache for innovativeness-for-prosperity spirit, a remarkable departure from the platitudinous past. The new leaders have found in Nigerians the immeasurable appetite for a holistic change in virtually all segments of human endeavors, be it social, economic and political. And in this hunger for change, NAFDAC has been a willing ally.

    Towards meeting national expectations, the agency has embraced hi-tech approach to combating the age long menace of drug counterfeiting and adulteration in Nigeria. It is recorded and noted globally that this singular and very bold move has helped to reduce the prevalence of counterfeited and fake drugs syndrome in the country. This technology-driven dynamism brought to bear on the agency by the Dr Paul B Orhii-led management is unprecedented in the annals of the nation’s healthcare regulation.

    The wisdom in NAFDAC’s adoption of the Mobile Authentication Service [GSM SMS MAS] system to authenticate pharmaceutical products to combat counterfeiters, as well as protect the safety and quality of medications sold in Nigeria is to successfully conscript the teeming Nigeria mobile telephone users into the war against drug counterfeiting. The mobile authentication service (MAS) technology, also known as Scratch and Text messaging system, enables consumers to confirm whether the drug they intend to purchase is genuine or not through the use of a mobile phone. This technology is registered with the major telecommunication networks in the country such as Glo, MTN, Airtel, Etisalat. This life-saving innovation launched by Dr. Paul Orhii has put the power of detecting counterfeit medicines in the hands of over 100 million Nigerian cell phone users. It is remarkable to the extent that it is all-inclusive.

    Taking it further and to ensure  that consumers buy only drugs that are of high quality, wholesome and safe, NAFDAC directed all manufacturers, importers and marketers to provide only drugs that are MAS-enabled. They could be anti-malarial, anti-biotic or anti-diabetics drug, but must conform to stipulated rules and regulations. To further enhance the level of publicity, the agency has had to take the campaigns on MAS down to the grassroots, schools, hospitals and the general public.

    Still on the deployment of technology, NAFDAC launched mobile application to help increase consumers engagement. These device types include smart phones, palm tops, table personal computers, personal digital assistant (PDA) and Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA).The ‘mobile app’ engages consumers and the general public with rich features that keep them updated about the latest news, events, guidelines and safety alerts from NAFDAC right in the palm of their hands. Anyone with a mobile device globally can download the app and stay updated about the agency on the go. The launched app, which is on the android platform, can be downloaded on all devices running on the android operating system from the online store at www.play.google.com.

    Worthy of mention is the deployment of Truscan (hand-held device for instant detection of fake drugs}, Radio Frequency Identification System (used for verification of NAFDAC regulated products and documents thereby enabling the track and trace of products while simultaneously preventing forgery of sensitive documents); Black Eye machines (for detecting counterfeit medicines) as well as the mobile mini-laboratory kits. Through them, the agency has successfully demonstrated sincerity in its avowed commitment towards ensuring that Nigerians have unhindered access to efficacious, qualitative and very safe medicines. Their success has become a reference point in the global community.

    Testifying to the efficacy of the deployment of hi-tech in the global fight against drug counterfeiting, the Director General of WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan, once asserted that there was a drastic reduction of the failure of anti-malaria drugs from 64 percent to 20 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2008 to 2011while it has reportedly declined to about three percent in Nigeria. Nigeria via NAFDAC has contributed much in this regard.

    Strengthened by the Food and Drug Act CAP R32 LFN of 2004, NAFDAC has lived up to its core mandate of regulating the manufacturing, production, sales, distribution and importation of processed foods and drugs in Nigeria. It does not take rocket science to imagine the millions of lives saved daily by these laudable innovations. Undoubtedly, NAFDAC would be one of the national agencies to be relied upon in the current crusade by the current administration to transform Nigeria through the change mantra.

    We must not be unmindful of the fact that fake and counterfeit drugs deny people their right to healthy living; and in the most extreme, they cause untimely death. The professionally dynamic efforts of NAFDAC have drastically mediated such risks. So, we can safely assert that the agency has lived up to the expectations of its founding fathers. At the most critical time in the nation’s evolution, Dr. Orhii received the baton of management of the agency, and he has remained on top of his mandate.

     

    • Ikhilae is a Lagos-based public affairs analyst.
  • NDLEA uncover drugs shipped as Condoms in Lagos port

    NDLEA uncover drugs shipped as Condoms in Lagos port

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Friday intercepted a shipment of 3,078.56kgs of Tramadol disguised as condoms at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.

    The tramadol, a prescription drug belonging to the class of opioid, which was said to have been unlawfully imported, were allegedly brought in by two pharmacists identified as Onuchukwu Owulu, 38, of Benow Pharmaceutical Impex Limited, Lagos and  Igboanugo Tochukwu, 35, of Vingil Pharmaceuticals Limited, Asaba.

    According to the spokesperson for the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, the drugs were detected during physical examination at the port by NDLEA officials.

    Ofoyeju who said abuse of Tramadol has been reported among youths across the country, stated that the drugs were imported without permits by the relevant authorities, an infraction of Section 11 (a) of the NDLEA Act.

    “It was also gathered that the drugs were imported for illicit distribution as they were disguised as cartons of condoms and other licit pharmaceutical products.

    “The discovery of the drug was made during examination of the container prior to delivery at their preferred destination outside the port. In addition, the companies could not produce either import or clearance permit for the said drugs,” said Ofoyeju.

    Quoting the Director, Operations and General Investigation, NDLEA, Olugbenga Mabo, Ofoyeju said the prosecution of the suspects will address the lack of repect for due process by professionals.

    “We have observed an infringement of the law with adverse consequences on the nation. The drugs were imported without permit by the relevant authorities. Prosecuting the suspects will serve as a warning to others. The case has been assigned to the Joint Task Force of the Agency for investigation,” quoted Ofoyeju.

    The agency’s Commander at the port, Nse Inam: “The shipment of controlled drugs originated from India. Onuchukwu Benjamin Owulu imported 107 cartons of Tramanow, a brand of Tramadol weighing 1,078.56kgs, while Igboanugo Vincent Tochukwu imported 250 cartons of Vingil Tramadol weighing 2,000kgs. Both suspects are being investigated.”

    In his statement, Owolu said he couldn’t get import permit as a result of the strike action embarked on by employees of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
    “I registered Benow Pharmaceuticals Impex Limited in 2009 and started business in 2010 as a qualified pharmacist. I began the process of importing this consignment in September 2015 and the goods arrived on December, 13.

    “My agent informed me of the challenge to obtain permit to import and clear the Tramanow. The strike action by staff of NAFDAC made it difficult for me to secure the necessary permit. I witnessed the search of the container in the presence of NDLEA officers and other security agencies at the port,” he stated.

    Igboanugo, according to NDLEA,  also admitted he did not get the necessary permit before importation.

  • NAFDAC: Promoting robust scientific education

    The world is embracing innovations; innovations rooted in knowledge and critical thinking. On this score, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC], by dint of good leadership, is not lagging behind in this global drive. It has not only continued to buy into the latest inventions in its mission to safeguard the public health of Nigerians, it is also playing a star role in imparting knowledge to young Nigerians pursuing related professional and academic programmes in the nation’s institutions of higher learning by putting at their disposal its state-of-the-art laboratories for both the compulsory Supervised Industrial Work Experience (SIWES) and internships.

    As a technology driven agency, NAFDAC has seven hi-tech laboratories equipped strategically spread across the nation’s six geopolitical zones. Each of the seven major facilities houses laboratories for different purposes. There is a Cosmetic Laboratory for testing baby powder, toilet soap, creams etc; Food Registration Laboratory with fume chamber for analysing fumes from organic solvents; Food Compliance Laboratory with Ion Exchange Chromatography (IEC); Medical Devices Laboratory for testing condoms, syringes, hand gloves, diapers etc; Farm Control Laboratory; Instrument Laboratory; Pharmaci-Chemical Laboratory for analysing herbal products; Pharmaceutical Control Laboratory; Pharmacognocy Laboratory; Microbiology Laboratory; Pesticide Formulation Laboratory for checking the kind of pesticide used on food and analysing the fertiliser farmers use; Water Laboratory; Alcoholic Beverage Laboratory etc. The biggest of the laboratories is the Zonal Laboratory in Agulu, Anambra State, which was commissioned on October 15, 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The spacious facility has 10 different laboratories. All the laboratories have well trained personnel to make them work efficiently.

    Five of these facilities have got international accreditation, mainly from the USA. They include the Mycotoxin and Pesticide Residues laboratories located at Oshodi in Lagos; and the Central Drug Control Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos. The other two are Food Compliance Laboratory with Ion Exchange Chromatography (IEC and High Performance Liquid Chromatography Laboratory (HPLC) located within Oshodi used for analyzing vitamins.

    The Mycotoxin and Pesticide Residues laboratories were accredited by the American Association of Laboratory Accreditation in November 2013, when they obtained the ISO 17025 certification. Again in January, the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) and US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) presented an international accreditation known as ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 to the Central Drug Control Laboratory, Yaba for quality monitoring of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria.

    The accreditation project, which was supervised by United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO), helped launched the two laboratories into the league of internationally recognized and respected laboratories, a development that has given global acceptance to NAFDAC-regulated products, tested and certified. What this means in simple terms is that all  products analyzed for export purposes by the two laboratories would carry a special ISO logo, thus making the commodities accepted all over the world.

    Again in January, the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) and US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) presented an international accreditation known as ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 to the Yaba, Lagos Central Drug Control Laboratory of NAFDAC for quality monitoring of pharmaceutical products in Nigeria. It is the first government-owned laboratory to attain such accreditation, which gives it the capacity to test both locally manufactured and imported pharmaceutical products. During presentation of the certificate in Lagos by Mission Director, USAID Nigeria, Michael Harvey, he described the accreditation as one critical milestone that re-established Nigeria as original super producers and distributors of pharmaceutical products.

    What is quite revealing here is that the regulatory agency is well placed to take up the responsibility of mentoring the critical manpower needed in food and drug administration and control in Nigeria. The agency’s modern facilities have become very handy for a nation bereft of the needed facilities in its higher institutions of learning. We have Dr. Paul Orhii to thank for his foresight and innovativeness. Under his watch, NAFDAC spearheaded global efforts in the use of technologies to fight counterfeiting. For this, TRUSCAN, Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) and Radio Frequency Identification etc, were introduced and deployed in the fight against counterfeit drugs in the country. Now, he is directing his energy to giving relevant knowledge to our teeming population of students in laboratory science, medical and pharmaceutical sciences, and even biological and micro biological sciences that will drive the processes needed to make Nigeria Africa’s hub for food and drug production and distribution.

    Interestingly, the authorities of the nation’s participating higher institutions have attested to the value-added to knowledge of the students during their industrial trainings at the agency’s facilities. They described the knowledge as priceless. They also reported the students exhibited remarkable improvement in their understanding of practical laboratory analyses, which invariably are typical of science-oriented disciplines where commitment, interest, suitable research environment as well as modernized facilities are required to bring about the necessary impressive results.

    NAFDAC’s Deputy Director in NAFDAC and Head of the agency’s South-East zonal laboratories in Agulu, Charles Nwachukwu, disclosed while playing host to a team of media executives recently, that the agency’s new role was consistent with the sustainability policy of the his boss, Orhii, who he said had shown remarkable zeal in not only sustaining the legacies of his predecessors, but also building on them to assure its continuing relevance to the nation.

    He maintained that the agency’s current leadership zeal for sustainability had kept its workforce happy and productive, adding that the staff were happy to be part of the lofty process of safeguarding the health of the nation.  For Nwachukwu, in NAFDAC “there is no Nigerian factor, we are business-minded, we have our goals and the agency’s leadership is bent on achieving these goals. Indeed, these laboratories, built and located across the country have certainly become a beehive of activities”.

    There is no doubt that the training and education the students have received will make them more ready to face the challenges of future working life and make them more confident in themselves. There is no doubt the nation would be better for it.

    I dare say NAFDAC’s inputs into Nigeria’s socio-economic and industrial advancement cannot be underestimated. Science, they say, is the bedrock of modern society. For NAFDAC to be living up to expectations in training the present and future manpower in the area of food and drug administration and control, Nigeria’s continuing economic diversification and growth are assured.More importantly, NAFDAC is saving for the nation its hard earned foreign currencies that could have gone into overseas training for our youth students.

    • Ikhilae, is a Lagos-based public affairs analyst.
  • N1b fine: Guinness, NAFDAC begin settlement talks

    N1b fine: Guinness, NAFDAC begin settlement talks

    An Igbosere Lagos State High Court, yesterday adjourned a suit filed by Guinness Nigeria Plc against the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) till February 8, next year, to give the parties time to resolve the dispute.

    Justice Wasiu Animahun adjourned the suit following submissions of counsels that a meeting was ongoing to settle the matter out of court.

    NAFDAC had imposed a N1billion fine on Guinness “as administrative charges for various clandestine violations of NAFDAC rules, regulations and enactments over a long period of time”.

    In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Peter Ndegwa, by the Head, Investigation and Enforcement of NAFDAC, Kingsley Ejiofor, the regulatory agency had requested for the payment of the N1 billion as administrative charges for infractions such as the destruction activities carried out by the company without the authorisation and supervision of the agency.

    The agency, among others, accused Guinness of revalidating expired products without authorisation and supervision by NAFDAC, as well as failing to secure the gate of its warehouse, which left the raw materials used in the production of beer and non-alcoholic beverages permanently open to intrusion and exposure to the elements and rodents.

    Dissatisfied, with the N1billion fine, the company approached the court asking it to restrain NAFDAC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) from enforcing the sanction pending the determination of the suit.

    When the suit came up yesterday for mention, counsel to Guinness, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN), told the court that representatives of Guinness Plc and that of NAFDAC were meeting on the sanction imposed on the company, adding that he was hopeful the matter would be resolved.

    Addressing the court, NAFDAC’s lawyer, Mr. O. M. Abutu, acknowledged that parties met on Monday (December 21), but that he was not privy to what actually transpired at the meeting.

    He said: “I confirm that the applicant (Guinness) met with the agency yesterday, but I was not part of the meeting and I have not been briefed about the outcome of the meeting.”

    Abutu urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable NAFDAC reply the originating process filed by Guinness and for possible out-of-court settlement.

    In his submission, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. T. Mokuolu, said he had no objection, if parties decide to resolve the issue out-of-court.

    Guinness had in its originating motion prayed the court for an order restraining NAFDAC and the AGF from imposing any sanction on it other than as recognised by law and the constitution.

    It asked the court for perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from imposing/or continuing to impose any sanction whatsoever on it.

    The applicant sought a declaration that NAFDAC refused to grant it an opportunity to be heard in relation to the allegation.

    The company urged the court to declare that the fine imposed by NAFDAC violated its right to fair hearing as guaranteed under Section 36(1) of the Constitution.

    Justice Animahun had in a ruling delivered on December 14 restrained NAFDAC from enforcing the N1billion fine pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

    The matter has been adjourned till February 8 for mention.