The leadership of Ogbo-ogwu Market, Bridge Head, Onitsha, Anambra State, on Wednesday handed over fake drugs worth over N265 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Chairman, Chukwuleta Ndubuisi, who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen, listed the confiscated drugs to include unwholesome, expired, banned and substandard products.
He said some of the goods were seized last year, while others were confiscated after NAFDAC’s invasion of the market.
He vowed that the exercise, which is periodic, would not stop until all forms of unwholesome drugs were eradicated from the market.
He said: “We’re here to hand over these seized products to NAFDAC. They include unwholesome, expired, banned, fake and substandard products. Before you are approximately N265 million worth of goods. Some of the goods were seized last year, while others were seized after the NAFDAC invasion.
“We carry out this activity periodically. This is not the first time. Even before I assumed office, it started during the late Dora Akunyili era. We can’t afford to allow people to sell products that will kill our people, which is in line with NAFDAC policies. We place our task force at strategic points to monitor counterfeit drug dealers.”
Acknowledging a reduction in counterfeit drug peddling in the market, the chairman said the majority of the seized drugs were being smuggled in from outside the market.
“As a federal government agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating food and drugs, NAFDAC is doing its best. But there is a need for stiffer measures to address this menace. Those behind the fake drugs have been threatening my life and fighting my executive, making all efforts to remove us so they can have their way.
“They have repeatedly gone to the media, labelling us all sorts of names. But that won’t deter me from carrying out my work. I can’t stop until the government says my tenure is up. I advise fake drug peddlers to desist and engage in genuine business. I’ve never seen anyone doing legitimate business retrogress.
“On the contrary, it’s those into fake drugs that fizzle out easily, thereby cutting their destiny short. Crime doesn’t pay and there’s no shortcut in life. If you start small, you’ll make it. Moreover, you might not know who will take the fake drugs you’re dealing with. It may be your relations,” he added.
Reacting, the State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Pharm. Louis Madubuattah, said over 400 cartons of different kinds of pharmaceuticals, mostly expired and unregistered products, were received by the agency.
He said the products would be housed in the agency’s warehouse pending destruction.
He said: “This is normal practice. When pharmaceutical companies have their products expired, the law requires them to hand them over to NAFDAC for destruction. On our part, we’ve been sensitising people on the need to ensure expired products are not revalidated and pushed into the system. We’re glad the market leadership has a mechanism to mop up unwholesome products. It’s an improvement that they’re handing over these products themselves.”