The House of Representatives has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to exercise caution in its ongoing efforts to eliminate fake and counterfeit medicines across the country.
The lawmakers emphasized the need for the agency to ensure that its raids do not inadvertently affect legitimate pharmaceutical businesses operating within the law.
The decision of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved by the member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State, Afam Ogene at a plenary session presided over by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
He said, The House is aware that NAFDAC recently sealed medicine markets in Idumota, Lagos State, Ariaria in Aba, Abia State and Onitsha in Anambra state.
We are aware of the ongoing enforcement operations by NAFDAC in these drug markets as a necessary step to eliminate counterfeit and substandard medicines from the country.
However, we are deeply concerned about reports from affected traders who claim that the crackdown has indiscriminately disrupted businesses, including those of legitimate operators.
This blanket approach has reportedly led to significant financial losses and the destruction of goods for many innocent individuals.
Ogene expressed concern over reports that NAFDAC sealed the affected markets, barring traders and their leadership from entering. Meanwhile, its officials allegedly broke into shops and confiscated pharmaceuticals without allowing the shop owners to be present or take inventory.
Describing the approach as brazen, Ogene criticized the unilateral break-in and seizure of goods, arguing that excluding market leaders and shop owners from the process undermines accountability and casts doubt on the integrity of the operation.
According to him, Some traders and Point of Sale 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.
In its sole resolution, the House directed its Committee on NAFDAC to Investigate these concerns, to ensure that livelihoods of innocent vendors engaged in legitimate businesses in the affected markets are not unfairly impacted.
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