The House of Representatives Wednesday cautioned the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to institute measures to forestall negatively impacting businesses of innocent traders during its operations against fake drugs in drug markets.
The caution was consequent upon the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Afam Ogene (LP, Anambar).
While presenting the motion, Ogene acknowledged the ongoing efforts by NAFDAC to crack down on merchants of fake and counterfeit medicines.
He maintained that NAFDAC recently sealed medicine markets in Idumota, Lagos State; Ariaria in Aba, Abia state and Onitsha in Anambra state.
Ogene also noted the ongoing enforcement operations by NAFDAC at these drug markets to rid the country of counterfeit and substandard drugs.
He, however, expressed concern that many people operating in the affected markets have complained about the blanket disruption of businesses, including those of innocent people, causing significant losses of goods and money.
The lawmaker said he was “Worried by the reports that NAFDAC sealed the affected markets and denied the traders and their leadership entry, while its officials proceeded to break into shops, carting away pharmaceuticals, without owners of such shops being allowed to witness the operation and take inventory.
He “Further worried that such a brazen approach and unilateral break-in and confiscation of the goods from the markets, without allowing the leadership of the markets and the owners of the goods to witness the process, would make accountability difficult and also dents the integrity of the operation”.
He emphasised disturbing reports that some traders and Point of Sale (PoS) operators were forced to leave significant amounts of cash in their shops during the sudden raid and closure of the markets over the weekend, with no clear means of recovering their funds, leading to frustrations and bewilderment.
The motion was unanimously passed after a voice vote by the speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.
