PRESS STATEMENT - 04/10/05
Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Akunyili has been named the sole recipient of the 2005 Grassroot Human Rights Campaigner Award by the London based Human Rights Defense organization.
The 2005 Grassroot Human Rights Campaigner Award is coming barely one year after Prof. Akunyili was conferred with the 2004 Economic Crime Fighters Award by United Kingdom based ICC Commercial Crime Services Bureau.Public Relations Director of the International Human Rights Services and Award Ceremony Co-ordinator, Charlette Morris who broke the cheering news said the NAFDAC Director-General was considered for the 2005 award by some panel of Judges “who admired her direct style and the bravery shown in the face of death threats and assassination attempts in the fight against fake drugs”.
Morris observed that Prof. Akunyili’s dogged fight against fake drugs has positively changed the fortunes of pharmaceutical industries because until her arrival “importers simply paid a bribe to get their products into Nigerian markets”.His said the award “is a reward for the unsung heroes of human rights who daily risk their lives so that the truth may be heard, the defenseless defended and the powers that be are held to account”.
According to him, the award will provide the winners “recognition, protection of a higher profile and a cash sum to further their work and ability to represent their organization”.The official conferment of the coveted award on Prof. Akunyili will take place at the House of Commons Chambers on December 8, 2005 in London and shall be witnessed by some distinguished British parliamentarians, an array of Lawyers, journalists and Human Rights Campaigners across the globe.
It would be recalled that the 2004 edition of the award was won by the Mexican Grassroot Human Rights Campaigner, Esther Chavez and interestingly the NAFDAC Boss is the first African to be so honoured since the award was introduced about 3years ago.
Abubakar Jimoh
for: Director General
PRESS STATEMENT - 29/09/05
Against the background of perceived threats to lives of its officials and vandalization of properties of the Agency, the newly inaugurated Governing Board of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on the police to provide adequate security cover for Regulatory Officers of the Agency so that they can continue to perform their duties without fear of molestation.
Chairman of NAFDAC Governing Council, Chief Ikedichi Nwade made the call at the inaugural meeting of the council held at the Agency’s corporate Headquarters in Abuja.Chief Nwade said the failed attempt on the life of the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Dora Akunyili and burning down of the Agency’s Offices in Lagos and Kaduna last year underscored the need for police to beef up security around NAFDAC formations nation-wide.
He gave the assurance that the new Governing Council will give maximum support to the Agency in its current battle to rid the country of the menace of fake drugs, unwholesome foods and other substandard regulated products.
His words “this new board will, within its constitutional powers, work towards total eradication of the distribution of fake drugs and foods nation-wide. Our appointment into the Board is certainly a call to national duty. We must join forces with regular members of staff of NAFDAC to stamp out fakery in the production and distribution of all drugs and foods consumed by the Nigerian people. We must also syndicate and synchronize efforts with other regulatory bodies to ensure a collective onslaught against fake drugs and substandard products in the country”.
According to him, the new Governing Council will ensure strict compliance with due process and transparency in the award of contracts and running of the Agency in the spirit of the current anti-corruption crusade of the present administration.He maintained that even though the war against fake drugs and unwholesome foods is hazardous and challenging, the determination and doggedness of NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Akunyili will ensure victory for the Agency in the long run.
The Chairman commended the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prof. Akunyili and the enormous support given to NAFDAC by President Olusegun Obasanjo.Chief Nwade however, appealed to President Obasanjo to provide more funds to enable the Agency beef up its operational facilities and also intensify the campaign against fake drugs especially in the rural areas.
It would be recalled that Chief Nwade is the third Chairman of the NAFDAC Governing Council since the Agency was established 13years ago.
Abubakar Jimoh
for: Director-General (NAFDAC)
PRESS STATEMENT - 29/09/05
In pursuance of its avowed determination to eradicate fake and counterfeit drugs, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has destroyed about N10billion worth of fake drugs and substandard products in the last 4½ years.
The Agency has similarly got about 50 fake drugs offenders convicted in various courts within the same period.Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili disclosed this at the flag-off of NAFDAC Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign Akko Local Government Area in Gombe State.
Prof. Akunyili who was represented by NAFDAC’s Director of Establishment Inspection, Mrs. Doris Amlai, said that more than 70 other cases related to fake drugs, importation of unregistered and substandard products are currently being prosecuted in the courts.She said that over 54 bakeries were recently shut down nation-wide for using the banned potassium bromate.
According to her, the closure of offending bakeries will be a continue exercise because of the severe dangers which potassium bromate poses to the health of innocent consumers of Bread.The Director-General renewed its appeal to Nigerians to stop using acid to settle personal scores with perceived enemies.
Prof. Akunyili further restated the Agency’s threat to sanction any pharmaceutical drugs to patients without prescription by medical practitioners.Earlier, Governor Danjuma Goje of Gombe State who flagged-off the enlightenment campaign commended the NAFDAC Director-General for putting her life on the line in the bid to safeguard the health of Nigerians.
Governor Goje who was represented by Permanent Secretary of State Ministry of Health, Alhaji Garba Adamu, urged NAFDAC to extend the Grassroot awareness Campaign to Local Government Areas in the state.The Government pledged the continued support of his government and the people of Gombe State in helping NAFDAC to eradicate the menace of drug hawking and sale of fake drugs in the state.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 16/09/05
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has closed down El-Amin Bakery & Confectionary Minna, makers of Family Pride Bread & Confectionary for using Potassium Bromate as bread improver. Ownership of the high brow bakery is associated with the family of the former military president, Gen. Babangida.
The closure is part of the on-going crack-down by NAFDAC on bakeries using Potassium Bromate in their bread. According to the Director of Enforcement NAFDAC, Pharm Dioka Ejionueme, El-Amin Bakery & Confectionary is one of several bakeries closed down by NAFDAC in the past few days for using Potassium Bromate as bread improver. Potassium Bromate has long been banned both by NAFDAC in Nigeria and other countries because of its serious implication in causing cancer and other serious diseases.
Recently NAFDAC carried out a nation-wide surveillance on the possible continued use of Potassium Bromate as bread improver in bakeries. At the end of the surveillance many bakeries were found to be still using the banned and injurious bread improver. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili gave an immediate directive that any bakery in any part of the country found to be using potassium bromate should be closed down till further notice.
It may be recalled that NAFDAC had in the past organized several workshops for stakeholders in the industry on the harmful consequences of using potassium bromate and also on the use of alternative and safe bread improvers. NAFDAC has registered many such safe bread improvers.
The NAFDAC Director once more advised the public to stop buying or eating bread without labels indicating the full location address of such bakeries. This is because such bread have been found to be continued determination of Prof. Dora Akunyili and her team in NAFDAC to stop the use of poisonous and deleterious substances in food and to eradicate the distribution of spurious regulated product in Nigeria.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 06/09/05
Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Akunyili will tomorrow in Cairo, Egypt (7th September, 2005) be conferred with the 2005 industrial award by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
The 2005 industrial award would be conferred on Prof. Akunyili in recognition of her dogged fight against fake and counterfeit drugs in the country.The Award ceremony scheduled to hold at the prestigious intercontinental Citystars Heliopolis Centre in Cairo, Egypt would be witnessed by over 500 seasoned pharmacists in various specialties who converged four days ago for the 2005 pharmaceutical sciences world congress.
Apart from the award medal being conferred on her, Prof. Akunyili was also requested to make contribution to a pharmacy book being put together to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of Industrial Pharmacy Section (IPS) of FIP.Secretary of IPS, Mrs. Henrietta Jansen has described the 2005 industrial award for the NAFDAC Boss as “well deserved honour for a woman achiever, crusader and great scholar”.
Mrs. Jansen said the award given to Prof. Akunyili was unanimously agreed upon by all members of IPS Executive Committee because of her impressive achievements in the fight against fake drugs.Prof. Akunyili who has so far received over 340 national and international awards/medals has again dedicated the FIP 2005 industrial award to the memory of all Nigerians who died as a result of fake drugs intake including her late sister, Vivian.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 25/08/05
Better later than never, 33years after his death, Chief Paul Young Edemobi, the father of Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili is to be honoured by the Benue State Government.
Chief Edemobi who spent the greater part of his life as Government Contractor and Chief Conservationist during the colonial period and under the then Benue-Plateau Sate Government has been earmarked for a yet to be disclosed award by Governor George Akume.Details of the planned honour for Chief Edemobi was still very sketchy but it was authoritatively gathered that one of the prominent public structures will be named after the father of the NAFDAC Director-General in recognition of his contributions to the development of defunct the Benue-Plateau State.
Chief Edemobi was a renowned philanthropist and humanist who contributed to educational development of many sons and daughters of Benue and his native Nanka Community in Anambra State before his death in 1972.In a swift reaction to the cheering news of the proposed award, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Akunyili described the planned gesture of Governor Akume as “thoughtful, generous and godly” considering the fact that the Governor never knew Chief Edemobi but relied only on pieces of information he gathered from government record.
Prof. Akunyili who was full of appreciation and joy over the planned honour for her father said God was “using Governor Akume as an instrument to imprint her father’s name on the sand of history in Benue State”.
Earlier, the Governor seized opportunity of the flag-off of NAFDAC’s Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign in Makurdi to organize a grand civic reception for Prof. Akunyili who was born and sired in Makurdi, the capital city of Benue State in July 1956.Prof. Akunyili who was treated to colourful cultural dances and carnival described her visit to Makurdi as “home-coming” as her umbilical cord was buried in the city fifty one years ago.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 24/08/05
The current battle against fake drugs and substandard regulated products being waged by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) under the dynamic leadership of Prof. Dora Akunyili “is a bigger and more challenging battle than the war in Iraq and Vietnam”
Governor George Akume of Benue State made the declaration at the Government House, Makurdi, when the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili paid him a courtesy visit ahead of the flag-off of the Agency’s Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign in the state.Dr. Akume said the battle against fake drugs has become more hazardous because the Agency was confronted with “stupendously rich and unscrupulous merchants of death who were prepared to kill anybody who stand on their ways”.
He expressed regret that before the ascension of Prof. Akunyili to the leadership of NAFDAC, the Hospitals had virtually turned into mortuaries because of the preponderance of fake and expired drugs.According to him, the narrow escape of the NAFDAC boss from assassin bullets during the December 2003 attack by gunmen suspected to be agents of fake Drug Barons showed that the battle fight against spurious drugs has the “blessing and anointing of God”.
The Governor thanked President Olusegun Obasanjo for reposing high confidence in the leadership of Prof. Akunyili and assured the Agency of the continued support and co-operation of his administration.
“Your work requires a lot of courage, tact and professionalism. You have been able to combine all these qualities. God spared your life so that you can continue to provide service to humanity”, he further added.
Responding, Prof. Akunyili described her visit as home coming because she was born at the General Hospital Makurdi some 51years and commended the Governor for delivering the dividend of democracy to his people.Prof. Akunyili said the Agency has decided to shift its public enlightenment campaigns from the cities to the villages because pervasive ignorance and mass poverty exacerbated the problem of fake drugs which first reared its ugly head in 1968.
She restated her earlier warning for medical practitioners to stop giving prescriptions on papers without writing names of the drugs and vowed that NAFDAC will prosecute anybody reported by the patients to have breached the new policy.According to her, the Agency has strongly advised medical practitioners against reckless use of injections on patients in cases where tablets or oral formulations could cure the sickness.
Prof. Akunyili urged the mammoth crowd who trooped out for the Sensitization Campaign at Aliede village in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State to carefully scrutinize all drugs before buying them, look out for NAFDAC registration number, name and address of manufacturers as wells as expiry dates.
The Grassroot Sensitization Campaign at Aliede was the sixth in the series since it was first launched at Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State in February this year.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 22/08/05
Former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) and his wife Victoria, Three South East Governors and a galaxy of political elites conveyed at Nanka, a village in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State at the weekend to honour the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Akunyili.
Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra State played host to the Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, Former Senate President, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim and his counterparts from Imo and Ebonyi States as Nanka community named a Multi-Million naira post office after the NAFDAC Boss in recognition of her relentless fight against fake drugs and track record of selfless service to the nation.
Wife of River State Governor, Justice (Mrs.) Mary Odili who represented the first Lady commissioned the Prof. Dora Akunyili Post Office with the active support of the Post Master-General of the federation, Alhaji Abubakar Argungu.Commissioning the Post Office, the first Lady, Chief (Mrs.) Stella Obasanjo commended the Nanka community for bestowing a well deserved honour on her daughter and other top dignitaries who were conferred with Chieftaincy titles.
Chief (Mrs.) Obasanjo described Prof. Akunyili as the pride of womanhood and a shinning model for other women in public service.
Central Bank Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo who’s maternal grandmother is a native of Nanka, dwelt on the virtue of transparency, honesty, hardwork and patriotism in his guest lecture at the occasion.Prof. Soludo praised the philanthropic gesture of Chief polycarp Emenike who built the Post Office and the exemplary conduct of Nanka community in dedicating the Post Office to the NAFDAC Director-General.
Responding to her community’s Gesture, Prof. Akunyili said she was overwhelmed with joy because of thousands of eminent Nigerians who had to put aside their busy scheduled to grace the occasion.Prof. Akunyili observed that Nanka community had shattered the myth that prophets were hardly honoured at home because all indigenes of the village resident both at home and abroad contributed to the civic reception marked by colourful carnivals, pomp and pageantry.
She passionately appealed to the Federal Government to rescue Nanka community from the devastating grip of gully erosion and acute shortage of pipe borne water.Her words “one other big problem facing us today is the absence of pipe-borne water. We watched our parents fetch water from the erosion site and today we are depending on the same source for water. This is food for thought for everybody including the state Government. It is our collective responsibility to do something so as to break this vicious cycle”. The Director-General maintained that Nigeria has the potential of becoming a great nation if it can eradicate corruption, imbibe the “fighting spirit of Japanese, the determination of Germans, the attitude of the Chinese and patriotism of Americans”.
The colourful ceremony witnessed a roll-call of Nigerian politicians: Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State, Governor Sam Egwu of Ebonyi, Special Adviser to the president on Inter-party Relations, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Senators Ike Nwachukwu, Ben Obi, Captains of Industry and Chief Executives of multi-national companies, traditional Rulers and technocrats.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 27/07/05
The streak of success recorded by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in its fight against fake drugs and substandard regulated products has been identified as one of the major gains of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s reform agenda.
Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State made the observation when the NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Dora Akunyili paid him a courtesy visit ahead of the official flag-off of the Agency’s Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign in the state.Dr. Odili said the enforcement activities of NAFDAC under the selfless and dedicated Leadership of Prof. Akunyili have saved millions of lives and at the same time given great boost to the current reforms pursued by Federal Government particularly in the Health and Economic sectors.
He observed that before the appointment of the incumbent Director-General, the Agency remained “just another acronym of a Government parastatal where the occupant had ample opportunity but failed to do anything”.His words “Your performance is a great pride to Nigerians. You have given meaning to the setting up of NAFDAC. You have shown that it is the occupant of an office that defines the respectability and honour which such office enjoys. Your efforts have synergized with the reform agenda of Mr. President”.
The Governor said he had cause to congratulate the NAFDAC Boss for turning a Grandmother recently because “that is a great gift from God and no amount of brilliance can make you a Grandmother except God”.
Earlier, Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili said the Agency has shifted its public enlightenment campaign from the cities to the rural areas because overwhelming population of Nigerians who live in the hinterlands are more vulnerable to the health hazard of fake drugs and substandard products as a result of mass poverty and ignorance.Prof. Akunyili expressed the readiness of NAFDAC to apply the full weight of the law on any medical practitioner who henceforth fail to write on prescription paper names of drugs being recommended to patients because the control of the use of drugs and other regulated products fall within the mandates of NAFDAC.
She further warned Healthcare providers against frequent resort to administering injections on patients whose aliment can be cured with tablets or oral formulations.The Director-General advised the public to buy salt in very small pack sizes and shun the big 25 kilogram bags of salt and salt sold in big basins and “mudu” in various local markets because they loose their iodine content due to constant exposure to sunlight.
The establishment of pharmacovigilance centre for monitoring adverse Drug reaction, she maintained, was an intervention measure by NAFDAC to stop avoidable deaths of millions of Nigerians.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 21/07/05
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted the general public about the circulation of fake and adulterated vegetable oil known as CENVOY.
The fake CENVOY is an imitation and sound alike of ENVOY vegetable oil which is registered by NAFDAC and certified fit for human consumption.In a decisive move to mop up the fake CENVOY product from circulation, NAFDAC Regulatory Officers from the Federal Capital Territory Abuja stormed several markets in the city last week and evacuated hundreds of jerry cans of the offensive product.
Chief Regulatory Officer of NAFDAC Abuja Office, Mrs. Akudo Amaeshi who led a 5member team said that three major distributors of the fake vegetable oil have been arrested while frantic effort was being made to track down the real kingpin behind the illegal faking Business.Mrs. Amaeshi revealed that the three Distributors apprehended by the Agency were Messrs Hillary Uche, Isilege Marcellus and Okey Nwaogbu who have already paid some fines as administrative penalty for the offence.
The Chief Regulatory Officer stated that other NAFDAC state offices have been directed to carry out raids in various markets within their domains in order to mop up the substandard vegetable oil from other markets nation-wide.In a related Development, the NAFDAC FCT, Abuja office also arrested ten illegal producers of unregistered and poor quality packaged water following a surveillance exercise carried out in sections of the city.
Mrs. Amaeshi further stated that some of the culprits arrested were mainly women and civil servants just as their substandard sachet water impounded by the Agency were immediately destroyed to prevent further sales to the unsuspecting public.She said the offenders have also been made to pay administrative fine in order to serve as deterrence to other illegal producers of sachet water.
She advised consumers to be extra vigilant, stick to identified registered brands of sachet water and report suspected offenders to the nearest NAFDAC office.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relation Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 13/07/05
Amidst clamour for imposition of ban on sale of sachet water because of its environmental nuisance, Environmental Protection Agencies nation-wide have been challenge to take their job seriously and clean up the streets rather than dissipating energies on whether Government should ban or restrict the production of sachet water.
Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Professor Dora Akunyili gave the challenge during the flag-off of the Agency’s Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign in Calabar, Cross River State.
Professor Akunyili said the existence of used sachet water nylons and other waste materials on various streets in the country best explains the ineptitude and lack of performance of most environmental protection Agencies rather than the nuisance value of packaged water.She described as “uncharitable and wicked” the attempt by some state Governments to ban the sale of sachet water because it is the most popular poverty alleviation trade providing source of livelihood for millions of poor Nigerians.
According to her, cross River State has a track record of cleanliness which is a shinning example other states with filthy and dirty environment should emulate.The Director-General disclosed that as from August 2005 nobody would walk freely into a pharmacy or chemist to purchase an ethical drug without Doctor’s prescription because NAFDAC shall be out to enforce the July deadline.
A national stakeholders’ workshop, drawing participants from medical and pharmaceutical sector, she stated, would take place before the end of this month in order to perfect the implementation strategy for the ethical Drug prescription programme.Prof. Akunyili called on all Nigerians to join the current Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign because NAFDAC cannot do it alone in view of the vastness and overwhelming population size of the country.
Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke who flagged off the campaign directed all Local Government Chairmen in the state to take-up every public health-issue addressed by NAFDAC and carry the messages to the nook and crannies of their Local Councils.Governor Duke who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Walter Eneji praised the efforts of NAFDAC management in ridding the country of the menace of fake drugs and substandard products.
Abubakar Jimoh
Head, Public Relations Unit
PRESS STATEMENT - 05/07/05
Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Dora Akunyili has been promoted to the esteemed rank of a Professor by University of Nigeria, Nuskka.
The cheering news of Dr. Akunyili’s elevation to the coveted rank of Professor of Pharmacology was conveyed to her in a Letter dated 30th June, 2005 and signed by one Mrs. Obi Nwala on behalf of the Registrar of the University.Dr. Akunyili’s promotion to the rank of Professor, which was approved by the Governing Council of the University at its 198th meeting held on 26th and 27th May, 2005, takes effect from October 1, 2000.
It would be recalled that before her appointment as Director-General of NAFDAC in April 2001, Dr. Akunyili was a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Pharmacologist at College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.The journey to present promotion dates back to 1978 when she started her working career as a Hospital Pharmacist at the University Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, after which she ventured into academics as a Graduate Assistant (Research Fellow) in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNN, from 1982-1986. She made a steady progress from Lecturer 1 in 1986 until she was promoted Senior Lecturer in 1990. In 1992, she transferred her service to College of Medicine, UNN where she rose to become a Consultant Pharmacologist in 1996.
In recognition of her dogged fight against fake drugs and excellent public service record, Dr. Akunyili had received over 234 national and International awards which include order of the Federal of Republic Nigeria (OFR) award by President Olusegun Obasanjo and 2003 Integrity Award by Transparency International.
Abubakar Jimoh
For: Director-General
PRESS STATEMENT - 01/07/05
Worried by the rampant use of acid in settling personal scores, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on Nigerians to be more vigilant and report to the nearest office of the Agency anybody suspected to be illegally in possession of acid.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Dora Akunyili who made the call at the flag-off of the Agency’s Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign in Edo State said that “hardly a month passes without reports of people bathed with acids by their embattled ex-lovers or Business Associates”.
Dr, Akunyili explained that this heinous crime had been made very easy because chemical marketers divert acid meant for industrial use, research and teaching to people that ordinarily should have no business with acid.She observed that some unscrupulous people use acid to produce or refine hard drugs, produce explosives or bath perceived enemies.
According to her, NAFDAC has therefore strengthened its monitoring activities to curtail the dangerous use of chemicals and ensure that culprits are brought to book.The Director-General decried the indiscriminate use of injection by medical practitioners in the treatment of minor ailments that could easily be treated with tablets and therefore urged the public to take injection only when oral formulations (tablets) are not available or unsuitable.
She advised thousands of villagers and students who conveyed at Orhionwhon Local Government Secretariat in Abudu, Edo State for the sensitization Launch, to shine their eyes and reject any drug, food, cosmetic, and packaged water that does not have NAFDAC Registration number, Expiry or Best Before Date.
She further counseled “report anybody using bromate as bread enhancer. Buy salts in small packets and avoid big bags because they loose iodine content as result of long storage. Insist on buying vitamin A fortified vegetable oil, margarine, flour” and sugar in order to stay Healthy.
Edo State Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion who flagged-off the Grassroot Sensitization Campaign called on all Nigerians to join hands with NAFDAC in ridding the country of fake drugs and other substandard regulated products.
Chief Igbinedion who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Mike Ogiadome, said that it was imperative for anybody buying drugs to obtain receipt so that the pharmacy shop can be sanctioned incase the drugs turned out to be fake.
The Governor commended NAFDAC for taking its public enlightenment campaign to the Rural Dwellers who constitute over 70 percent of the teeming Nigerian population.
Earlier, the Chairman of Orhionmhon Local Government, Honourable Saturday Idehen stated that no sacrifice would be considered too much on the part of NAFDAC and Nigerians to ensure a total eradication of the menace of fake and expired drugs.
Honourable Idehen therefore urged the Federal Government to continue to strengthen equip and support the Agency so that it can effectively cope with its numerous challenges.
It would be recalled that the NAFDAC Grassroot Consumers Sensitization Campaign which was first flagged-off in Kano State had since been launched in Lagos and Edo States.
Abubakar Jimoh
For: Director-General
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