By Mustapha Sumaila
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has sanctioned two chemical companies for marketing calcium sulphate without listing certificate in Abuja.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, said this on Monday in Abuja.
Adeyeye explained that on Aug. 9, a team from the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate with armed police men as well as officers from CER-FCT sealed the warehouses of the two chemical companies.
She said the team also arrested the companies’ representatives who were taken to NAFDAC office for further action.
She said an inspection was conducted on the warehouses of Baruch Chemical Limited, Max and Bryan Company Limited and Jaji International Services Limited on March 29 and were found to be marketing Plaster of Paris (Calcium Sulphate) without listing certificates.
“They were then advised to report to NAFDAC office to initiate the process of obtaining listing certificates.
“As a result of their non-compliance, the companies were visited on 11th April 2018 for invitation to NAFDAC to intimate them on the process of obtaining listing certificate as chemical marketers but they refused to honour the invitation.
“When the Managing Directors of both companies were contacted on telephone through the phone numbers supplied by the company representatives, the managing director of Max and Bryan Company Limited was very furious.
“And he said he was not ready to listen to anybody and that we should stop disturbing the business that he has been in for the past 10 years,” said Adeyeye.
According to Adeyeye, NAFDAC FCT office, prepared warning letters for the two companies on 18th April 2018.
“But the letters could not be delivered at the period because of the industrial action that took place between 18th April and 4th June 2018,” she said.
Adeyeye said the companies were issued warning letters on June 6, but the managing director of Max and Bryan Company Limited instructed his manager not to receive any letter from NAFDAC on his behalf.
She disclosed that the managing director claimed that NAFDAC was doing illegal work to have visited his establishment.
“The managing director further threatened that if the NAFDAC team should visit again, he would write a petition against the team leader and NAFDAC,” Adeyeye said in a statement.
The NAFDAC boss said based on the threat and resistance, the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate was written on June 12 to take appropriate action against the offending establishments. (NAN)
