By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The Labour Party (LP) Caucus in the House of Representatives have urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to stop alleged extortions of traders affected by the closure of Onitsha drug market.
The Leader of the Labour Party Caucus, Hon. Afam Victor Ogene, who made the call in a statement issued at Awka, Anambra State Capital, wondered why NAFDAC was demanding about N700,000 from shop owners in the drug market, in order to allow them access to their shops even though it was previously reported that they had been reopened.
He added that the prolonged market closure and NAFDAC’s apparent inability to identify and bring to justice those responsible for drug counterfeiting also raised concerns about the agency’s operational efficiency.
“What is this money for? If it’s for access to the shops of affected traders, does it imply that the fee absolves those guilty of drug counterfeiting? How is this fair to innocent businesses in the market? Doesn’t this contradict the principles of fairness and justice that democracy and the rule of law uphold?”
“This controversy is avoidable and distracts from the fight against fake drugs. NAFDAC’s actions are unethical, unacceptable, and reprehensible. The agency must act swiftly to address this issue, which threatens its image and credibility, and saves the institution from further embarrassment,” Ogene lambasted.
The caucus leader recalled that the House of Representatives earlier cautioned NAFDAC in a February motion, against harming innocent businesses during operations at the market, questioning the rationale behind imposition of a N700,000 levy on all business owners, regardless of culpability.
The motion read: “Notes the ongoing efforts by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to crack down on merchants of fake and counterfeit medicines;
“Aware that NAFDAC recently sealed medicine markets in Idumota, Lagos state , Ariaria, in Aba, Abia state and Onitsha, in Anambra state;
“Also aware that the ongoing enforcement operations by NAFDAC at these drugs markets is to rid the country of counterfeit and substandard medicines;
“Concerned, however, 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;
“Worried by the reports that NAFDAC sealed the affected markets and denied the traders and their leadership entry, while it’s officials proceeded to break into shops, carting away pharmaceuticals, without owners of such shops being allowed to witness the operation and take inventory;
“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;
“Disturbed by 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;”
