…Inaugurates consumer safety club for students
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), yesterday, destroyed some fake and unwholesome products worth N1.367 billion in Abuja.
The items destroyed drugs which included psychoactive and controlled substances, antibiotics, anti-hypertensives, antimalarials, herbal snuff and remedies, including drugs seized from hawkers.
Also, food products which include cookies, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic beverages and items confiscated from supermarkets with labelling only in foreign languages thus lacking English translations, were destroyed.
Similarly, cosmetics which include creams, lotions, pomades and skin-lightening products that were confiscated from Spas and beauty centres and fake chemicals such as Izal, Jik, and medical devices, were destroyed.
The agency confirmed that some products destroyed were expired and unwholesome products and were voluntarily submitted for destruction by some NGOs including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Association of Community Pharmacy of Nigeria (ACPN).
Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by Festus Ukadike, led NAFDAC and security officials to the Agency’s dumpsite located at Kuje, Abuja, for the destruction exercise.
She told journalists that the destruction exercise was a crucial and routine operation that NAFDAC conducts across all its zonal offices at least once a year depending on the volume of seizures made by the agency.
She said the goal was to eliminate substandard, falsified and expired NAFDAC- regulated products from the supply chain, thus safeguarding the health of the population.
“In 2024, NAFDAC achieved remarkable progress, making substantial seizures that underscore our commitment to safeguarding public health.
“We carried out several destruction exercises across the zones including Investigation and Enforcement Office in Lagos where products worth over N120bn of falsified and substandard, and unwholesome food products were destroyed.
“Our relentless pursuit of justice against counterfeiting cartels has also resulted in the seizure of over 6,000 bags of re-bagged rice in the FCT alone. These deceitful cartels aim to exploit and harm the unsuspecting Nigerian populace for economic gain.”
Prof. Adeyeye maintained that NAFDAC has zero tolerance for such activities, and has initiated thorough investigation to ensure that all involved face appropriate sanctions.
She assured Nigerians that NAFDAC is fully committed to ensuring that only safe, high-quality, and effective medicines and wholesome food products are available to Nigerian consumers.
She thus urged all consumers of NAFDAC regulated products to remain vigilant, and be aware of the drugs, cosmetics, food, and other regulated products they purchase, asking them not to hesitate to report any suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.
Meanwhile, the agency has inaugurated the NAFDAC-Catch Them Young Consumer Safety Club (NCSC) project for students in the South-West zone.
The inauguration of the project at the Yejide Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan, aims to sensitise young people, especially students, on the dangers of drug abuse.
Prof. Adeyeye said the project focused on drug abuse education, and awareness campaign on menace of drug abuse in Nigeria.
She was represented by the NAFDAC Director of South-West zone, Mrs Roseline Ajayi.
According to Adeyeye, research showed that one out of every four high risk drug users had been arrested for drug related offences.
She noted that drug abuse could arise from both prescribed medicines and illicit drugs.
According to her, the programme will help the students take informed decisions with regards to illicit drugs use, including alcohol consumption.
Adeyeye highlighted negative consequences of teenage drug abuse to include high-risk sexual behavior, mental health disorders, and bad grades in academic performance.
“NAFDAC has taken the campaign against drug abuse to the grass roots by re-establishing NCSC in secondary schools to collaborate with teachers to catch them young and prevent lives of addiction, destruction.
“NAFDAC’s mission is to mould a future generation that is not only empowered to be upright, but demand uprightness from others.
“We deem it expedient to immunise our society against counterfeits by re-orientating our youths through the activities of NCSC,” she said.
Adeyeye urged the students to use their membership of the club to assist in information flow on NAFDAC regulatory activities and promote the fight against drug abuse.
She also enjoined the teachers to continue to work with parents and guardians of the youths to point out behavioural problems in a child.
Ajayi, in her remarks, noted that the programme was the first of its kind in the zone.
She added that the Yejide Grammar School is the NAFDAC D-G’s alma Mater, hence, kick-starting the programme from the school was a way of giving back to her alma mata.
The Principal, Mrs. Titilayo Olalekan, said students’ participation in the programme would help them make informed decisions about their well-being.