Abia State Government has signaled its readiness to collaborate with the National Agency For Food Drugs Administration and Control to stamp out the disturbing, but festering problem of manufacturing and sales of illicit and counterfeit products within the State Markets .
The Source reports that over the years, consumers of beverages, baby foods wines and other essential items have had to contend with poisonous and adulterated products, with the menace growing by the day, rather than abating .
Only late December 2023, NAFDAC, inundated with deafening outcry had stormed the Ezikwu Road Market Aba ,one of the bastions for the production and sales of fake and adulterated products in the state in search of the harbingers of the nauseating act.
But the euphoria of the arrest of no fewer than 30 alleged kingpins of the illicit production activities, quickly paled ,as they were, almost, immediately left off the hook, with no one prosecuted by the regulatory agency.
Thus goaded, as it were, by the lackadaisical tendencies of NAFDAC, the merchants of death have since upped their game, even with more audacity.
While playing host to Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director General of the regulatory body who was in Abia between Tuesday May 14 and Wednesday May 15 ,at the state seat of power in Umuahia ,Governor Otti,lamented the deaths of many innocent people as a result of the consumption of fake and counterfeit products in the state .
Addressing the NAFDAC boss,the Abia State Governor promised that his administration will explore all lawful means available to rein in manufacturers of counterfeit products as well as halt their operations in Abia state
Governor Otti informed that the recently established Abia State Harmonized Taskforce will readily collaborate with all relevant agencies in any efforts to combat negative tendencies like the engagement in unwholesome activities,.
He expressed the determination of the Abia state Government to re channel the energy of Abia people,particularly the youths to positive and productive ventures,that have the potentials to add value to both the image and economic growth and development of the state .
The Governor appreciated Prof Adeyeye for her efforts in saving lives by ensuring that the country is ridden of all kinds of fake and adulterated product,adding that the Abia state Government will readily offer all the necessary assistance towards the quest to eradicate the production and sales of adulterated items in the state in particular and the country at large.
The NAFDAC DG,whose activities in the state were rounded off on Wednesday in Aba with a meeting with SMEs stakeholders and the business Community re assured that the regulatory agency will not waver in its efforts to keep faith with its core mandate of regulating and controlling the manufacturing and sales of drugs ,foods and other related items.
“NAFDAC mandate is to regulate and control the manufacturing,importation ,exportation ,advertisement,sales and use of several regulated products,drugs,food chemicals devices ,cosmetics and package water so that our we ease the pain of our people,prevent the death of so many that take fake and substandard products
While,we encourage the promotion of SMEs ,there is the need to properly coordinate their activities,perhaps through the establishment of wholesale centres for those that deal on drugs ,essential food items and other related products for easy monitoring of their activities .
We are praying and hoping sir that during your tenure ,we will have coordinated wholesale centres where our people ,our marketers ,can be monitored .
That way ,we will not be losing children under five years old due to the administration of fake and counterfeit drugs on them”the NAFDAC DG stated.
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