The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has lamented the agency’s manpower shortage.
She said the agency is grossly understaffed to effectively regulate products consumed by over 240 million Nigerians.
Adeyeye, during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, said NAFDAC currently operates with about 2,000 workers, a situation she described as inadequate compared with the country’s population.
She said a comparable country such as Indonesia, with a population of about 280 million people, has about 20,000 regulatory staff.
“We have been chronically short of staff in NAFDAC.
“We are 240 million people and we have 2,000 staff. A comparable country in Indonesia that has about 280 million people, they have 20,000 staff. That is the gap that we have been discussing in terms of closing,” she said.
The NAFDAC boss said the agency was not demanding the same workforce as Indonesia but needed at least 5,000 additional personnel to improve its operations nationwide.
We are not asking for 20,000. We need at least 5,000 more. At least 5,000 more staff,” she added.
Adeyeye said the shortage had stretched the agency’s capacity, noting that it could not be physically present everywhere across the country despite its responsibilities.
“Because, like you said, we cannot be everywhere. We are stretched thin. We are doing the very best we can do,” she said.
The NAFDAC DG also called for improved funding for the Federal Task Force established to support the agency’s enforcement activities.
She said the Federal Task Force C34 Bill, enacted in 2004, had not received financial backing since its creation.
“Another is our support. The Federal Task Force C34 bill was enacted in 2004. That bill was never supported with one naira,” Adeyeye said.
She, however, expressed optimism that the Federal Government would provide the needed support, following discussions with the Minister of Finance.
According to her, the Federal Task Force works with 36 state task forces, which are expected to assist with enforcement activities at the state level.
“The Federal Government is listening that we need a lot of staff and we need support. And I believe they’re going to do that,” she said.
According to her, the Federal Task Force works with 36 state task forces, which are expected to assist with enforcement activities at the state level.
“The Federal Government is listening that we need a lot of staff and we need support. And I believe they’re going to do that,” she said.
