The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has promised to remain resolute in its commitment to rid the country of counterfeit drugs and unwholesome products.
It affirmed that threats to the lives of its officers as well as the recent negative press concerning the activities of fake drug manufacturers and sellers of substandard food and beverages would not discourage its efforts at ensuring the safety of drugs and food consumed in Nigeria.
NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who restated the agency’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s health, noted that an urgent review of the nation’s law on counterfeiting would address the issue.
Adeyeye said the support of the National Assembly for the review of the extant law for stiff penalties without an option of fine for the offenders had become expedient.
The NAFDAC boss said this would deter the audacious stance of perpetrators in the illicit trade, who appeared unfazed by existing penalties.
Section 3 (1) (a) of the Counterfeiting and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004, states that ‘Any person who commits an offence under (a) Section 1 of this Act, is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of not less than five years or more than fifteen years or to both such fine and imprisonment’.
Section 3 (2) states: ‘Where an offence under Section 1 or 2 of this Act has been committed by a body corporate, every person who at the time of the commission of the offence was a proprietor, director, general manager, secretary or other similar officer, servant or agent of the body corporate (or a person purporting to act in any such capacity), he, as well as the body corporate, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and may be proceeded against and punished accordingly’.
Though she did spell out details of the agency’s proposed penalties, Adeyeye stressed that stiffer penalties without an option of a fine would discourage perpetrators from engaging in such illicit trades.
According to her, the recent exposure of a cartel involved in the production of fake wines and soft drinks in Aba, Abia State, underscores the gravity of the situation.
Adeyeye assured Nigerians that NAFDAC remained steadfast to battle those aiming to profit at the expense of the well-being of their fellow citizens.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, the director general expressed dismay at uncomplimentary commentaries in a section of the media.
She cited the interception of counterfeiters in Eziukwu Market in Aba, Abia State, as an example of the agency’s commitment to fighting counterfeiting.
The NAFDAC boss said the agency would not be deterred by unfounded allegations, urging the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities.
Adeyeye said officers from the Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) as well as Pharmacovigilance and Post-Marketing Surveillance directorates had been empowered to apprehend those involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit drugs and substandard food items.
According to her, despite numerous life-threatening encounters and attacks on NAFDAC officers, the agency remains undeterred in its mission to safeguard the health of Nigerians.
Adeyeye urged fellow Nigerians to provide useful information on the activities of counterfeiters, saying: “They live and operate in our midst. We should say something when we see something.”
The NAFDAC boss promised that the agency would persist with its sensitisation activities across the country in the new year, ensure that Nigerians were aware of the threats posed by counterfeit products.
No comments:
Post a Comment