By Jude Atupulazi
The Labour Party Caucus in the House of Representatives has commended ongoing efforts by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to crack down on merchants of fake and counterfeit medicines. However, the caucus also urged the agency to exercise caution and ensure that its enforcement actions target only identified culprits, sparing the operations of innocent individuals and businesses.
NAFDAC recently sealed the medicine markets in Idumota, Lagos State; Ariaria, in Aba, Abia State; and Onitsha, in Anambra State.
The agency said its ongoing enforcement operations at those drugs markets were to rid the country of counterfeit and substandard medicines. However, many people operating in the affected markets have complained about the blanket disruption of businesses, including those of innocent people, causing grave losses of goods and money.
Responding to this development in a statement in Awka on Monday, February 17, the Leader of the LP Caucus in the House of Reps, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, said, ‘While the LP Reps commend NAFDAC for its efforts at tackling the menace of fake and adulterated drugs, we enjoin them to go about the assignment in adherence with global best practices, such that legitimate and innocent traders are not caught in the quagmire.’
Hon. Ogene said further: ‘For instance, it was reported that NAFDAC sealed the market and allegedly denied the traders and their leadership entry, as its officials proceeded to break into shops, carting away pharmaceuticals, without owners of such shops being allowed to witness the operation and take inventory.
‘Already, there are reports of some traders and Point of Sale (POS) operators who left varying sums of cash in their shops – the closure having taken place at the weekend – without any means of getting same back.’
Providing further insight, the lawmaker revealed that in Onitsha, NAFDAC’s enforcement actions extended beyond the Medicine Market (Ogbo Ogwu), also affecting the Plumbing Materials section, which was shut down about a week ago. This move had left traders frustrated as they were abruptly locked out of their businesses.
The LP leader urged NAFDAC to exercise caution and sensitivity in its operations to avoid unfairly impacting the livelihoods of innocent vendors engaged in legitimate businesses in the affected markets.
‘This measured approach will help balance the agency’s regulatory mandate with the need to protect the interests of law abiding entrepreneurs and traders,’ Hon. Ogene said.
