Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye is seeking the maximum penalty for drug counterfeiters from the judiciary.
She said this on Wednesday, August 18 during the South-West Zonal Destruction of Expired, Counterfeit, Substandard and Falsified Medical Devices and other Unwholesome Regulated Products.
Adeyeye said the penalty will deter counterfeiters and fraudsters from putting the public at the risk of death with their fake products.
During the event, NAFDAC destroyed unwholesome products worth over 2 billion Naira (N2,482,600,290.00) in the South Western part of the country.
Adeyeye was represented by Mr Kingsley Ejiofor, Director, Investigations and Enforcement, NAFDAC, at the event which took place at Oke-Diya Dumpsite, Sagamu, Ogun.
She said: “The products being destroyed during this exercise are made up of Substandard and Falsified Medical Products, Unwholesome Processed Food Products, Unsafe Cosmetics, Counterfeits and other expired NAFDAC regulated products.
“They were seized by the agency from manufacturers, importers distributors as well as products ordered to be destroyed by the courts.
“Also up for destruction today are damaged and expired products voluntarily handed over to the agency by complaints companies, NGOs and Trade Unions. The estimated street value of the products for destruction is two billion, four hundred and eighty-two million, six hundred thousand, two hundred and ninety naira only (N2,482,600,290.00).
“This flag-off of the South West zonal destruction exercise is in line with our mandate and strategy aimed at eradicating the reintroduction of Expired, Substandard and Falsified (SFs) Medical Products as well as other Spurious, Unsafe and Unwholesome NAFDAC regulated products into circulation in Nigeria.”
She also pleaded with the National Assembly to pass the Counterfeit Medical Products Bill. According to her, the bill will strengthen the agency’s fight against counterfeiting in Nigeria.
“it is pertinent to mention that the fight is capital intensive and we need the support of states, local Governments Councils, Foundations and other corporate bodies.
“I sincerely and openly appreciate the support of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Security (DSS) and Nigeria Security, Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), other regulatory agencies and stakeholders.
“While appealing for sustained synergy to ensure that we rid the nation of illicit, fake and unwholesome NAFDAC Regulated products,” she said.
The NAFDAC D-G appealed to the public to stop patronising quacks and hawkers of medicines and unwholesome foods.
