29th August, 2021
By Aderogba George
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on the judiciary to impose stiffer penalties against peddlers of counterfeit and unwholesome drugs.
NAFDAC also called on the National Assembly to pass the counterfeit medical product Bill to strengthen the agency’s war against offenders, and to make the penalty serve as a deterrent to abusers.
Prof. Moji Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General said perpetrators of the illicit trade capitalise on the weak law in the land to wreak havoc on the nation’s health system.
She spoke against the backdrop of the ongoing destruction of falsified and expired medicines, cosmetics, and unwholesome food products across the country by the agency.
The NAFDAC boss appealed to the judiciary to take a sterner view of counterfeiting and apply the maximum penalty of the weak laws to deter counterfeiters and fraudsters from the dangers they pose to society.
Adeyeye said that the dangerous business would be made unattractive if it carries maximum penalty against offenders while appealing to NASS to pass counterfeit medical product Bill to reinforce the war against counterfeiting in Nigeria.
Henceforth, there would be no hiding place for the merchants of death who she said derived joy in circulating expired, falsified drugs and putting the health of millions of Nigerians at risk.
According to her, NAFDAC has resolved to go after those who engage in the circulation of counterfeited and expired medicines in the country until they are apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
She said that the agency would not rest on its oars until those merchants of death desist from the nefarious activities.
NAN