By Biola Lawal
Lokoja (Flowerbudnews): The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) has intensified efforts to protect the health of Nigerians by conducting a week-long enforcement and sensitisation operations in Kogi state
.
During the operation which was led by theDirector, NAFDAC, North Central Zone (NCZ), Mal Shaba Mohammed, a total of four factories were sealed because of poor Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) that could endanger Public health.
Mal. Shaba Mohammed disclosed that the NAFDAC enforcement team undertook operational visits to several manufacturing facilities, including producers of Vegetable Oil, Bakeries, Sachet and Bottled Water companies, pharmaceutical outlets, and Patent Medicine Stores.
(NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Christiana Adeyeye)
The NAFDAC Zonal Director said however, that only four factories sealed during the week-long opetation.
”The four sealed facilities were,
two Vegetable Oil manufacturing companies and a Water producing factory of sachet and bottled water all in Lokoja, while a sachet water plant was sealed in Kabba area of the State,’ Mal Shaba Mohammed stated in a statement on the operation.
He said that the four factories were sealed pending compliance with the
extant regulations of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
The Agency also organized a stakeholders enlightenment programme for members of Association of Table Water Producers, (ATWAP), Pharmacists,Master Bakers, Patent Medicine Dealers, which was also attended by operators MSMEs, he said.
The participants were trained on NAFDAC Automated Products Administration and Monitoring Systems (NAPAMS) and MSME products’ Requirements and Registration.
Over Seventy (70) participants from across the State benefitted from this program which was held on Thursday, 16th May, Mal Shaba Mohammed disclosed.
The Director, explained that the Agency’s mission, as being championed by the Director- General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, was to protect and promote public health by instituting an effective and efficient regulatory system.
This, he said, would ensure only
the right quality food, drugs and other regulated products, were manufactured, exported, imported, advertised, distributed, sold and used.
He assured that the organisation would not fold its hands and allow the
manufacturing of unauthorised and unregulated products to be sold to Nigerians for consumption, even if the facility has been previously registered.
He said that that was why the four registered manufacturing outlets in Kogi State were sealed, assuring that as being piloted by the DG, NAFDAC would ensure that Nigerians consumed only products that had been certified by competent and world class ISO certified laboratories, and duly registered.
He enjoined the public to be vigilant and patronise only NAFDAC registered products, and to also report violations, such as the sale of expired,
damaged or adulterated products.
The public, he counseled, should also report violations such as clandestine change of expiry dates on
products, counterfeiting, faking and falsification of packaged food, drugs, bottled drinks, and other regulated products to the nearest NAFDAC Office.
(NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Christiana Adeyeye)
The NAFDAC Zonal Director cautioned persons involved in the nefarious act of manufacturing and selling of unwholesome products to desist from such acts, as appropriate sanctions would be applied to offenders.
Mohammed advised intending businesses to visit the nearest NAFDAC office for guidance on how to register their products in line with NAFDAC approved guidelines. (Flowerbudnews)
