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  • How Gov Adeleke, aides escaped jet crash after engine failure

    How Gov Adeleke, aides escaped jet crash after engine failure

    Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and his aides have survived a potential aircraft crash after the engine of the private jet they boarded was discovered to be faulty.

     

     

    The incident was reported to have taken place on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at the Murtala Mohammed Airport on a Bombardier Global Express 6000, owned by billionaire businessman Chief Adedeji Adeleke, father of music icon, David Adeleke aka Davido.

     

    A source close to Adeleke who spoke to a correspondent on condition of anonymity revealed that the jet had not taxied with Adeleke and his aides when a loud sound was heard from its engine.

     

    According to the source, engineers swiftly examined the engine and discovered that it was faulty.

     

    The flight was immediately aborted to avert any disaster as a result of engine failure.

     

    The passengers were then evacuated from the aircraft.

     

    “The jet was scheduled to fly Adeleke and his aides from Lagos to Abuja.” says source.

     

  • Osun Governor, Adeleke, Aides Narrowly Escape Air Crash As Private Jet Of Nigerian Singer, Davido’s Father Catches Fire

    Osun Governor, Adeleke, Aides Narrowly Escape Air Crash As Private Jet Of Nigerian Singer, Davido’s Father Catches Fire

    Tragedy was recently averted when a private jet owned by Nigerian billionaire businessman, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, caught fire while taking off at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, multiple sources told LEADERSHIP on Saturday.

    Chief Adeleke is the father of Afrobeat star, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

    Chief Adeleke owns the Bombadier Global Express 6000 involved in the incident. The jet is used as a family plane by the Adelekes.

     

     

     

    According to the report, the incident occurred at the domestic wing of the Airport at about 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, when the jet was about to take off from Lagos to Abuja.

     

     

     

    However, the incident wasn’t formally communicated to the concerned aviation regulatory authorities, a development that is against standard protocol, LEADERSHIP reports.

     

     

     

    According to the report, Governor Adeleke and his top aides were on board the aircraft when the incident occurred.

     

     

     

    It was learnt that the aircraft had taxied to the end of the runway, shortly before departure, when a loud explosion was heard from the engine of the jet, causing it to abort take-off immediately.

     

     

     

    “No deaths or injuries were reported, and other passengers in the plane as of the time of the incident could not be ascertained,” a source privy to the development told the newspaper.

     

     

     

    LEADERSHIP gathered that the jet had been parked at the Executive Jet hanger of the airport before it was deployed on September 5.

     

     

     

    However, according to the report, there were no injuries or deaths recorded from the incident.

     

     

     

    Meanwhile, airport authorities, Osun State government and the owners of the private hangar have been doing everything to ensure that the news does not get out, the report said.

     

     

     

    Governor Adeleke’s aides could not be reached but one of the passengers on the plane told LEADERSHIP on condition of anonymity that the operators of the hangar suspected that there might be foul play as both engines of the aircraft were damaged.

     

     

     

    However, the chief executive officer (CEO), Executive Jets, which manages the hangar where the private jet was parked, Sam Iwuajoku, disclosed that the aircraft had Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that made the aircraft experience high temperature, which resulted in the explosion.

     

     

     

    According to him, the FOD was caused by a bird nest in one of the engines of the jet.

     

     

     

    “At take-off, the engine had a high temperature and it was caused by a bird nest in one of the engines of the aircraft.

     

     

     

    He is also the brother of Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke

    It happens when an aircraft is parked and not properly covered so birds will build their nest and anything they bring into the aircraft can spark high temperature.

     

     

     

    “It happened to one of my aircraft in 2021; we had to remove the engine and the engine was in Germany for 14 months. So, it’s a common thing in Africa because we have birds around,” he stated.

     

     

     

    Sources told LEADERSHIP that Davido used the aircraft the previous day, September 4.

     

     

     

    Efforts to reach the NCAA were not successful but a source told the newspaper that the incident was not reported to the agency as its Air Worthiness Department was not aware of the incident.

     

     

     

    “NCAA isn’t aware of this incident because the Air Worthiness Department is not aware,” the source was quoted as saying.

  • Katsina governor’s wife solicits support for VVF patients

    Katsina governor’s wife solicits support for VVF patients

     

    .By Abbas Bamalli

    Katsina:  The Wife of Katsina State Governor, Hajiya Zulaihat Radda, has appealed to the general public to support the patients of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in the state.

     

    Mrs Radda made the appeal on Saturday at the graduation ceremony of rehabilitation and skill acquisition training of 46 treated VVF patients in Katsina.

     

    The VVF patients were treated and trained by the National Obstetric Fistula centre Babban Ruga, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

     

    She reiterated the need for the volunteers, NGOs, traditional and religious leaders, companies and wealthy individuals to also join hands to support them.

     

    “This support can be through donations, or to taking care of some of the patients and the hospital’s needs, because the hospital is not a profit-making organisation.

    “But it was established to provide the VVF patients with the needed treatments and also skills training for them to establish business of their choices after being discharged.

     

    “I wish to inform you that through my office, I have a programme which is mainly to support children, girl child education and also women with special needs.

     

    “Also, we have a health programme that supports our women and children in the state,” the governor’s wife said.

     

    She assured of her readiness to collaborate with the hospital and also the VVF patients training centre to help the patients.

     

    She expressed delight over the fact that the hospital is not only meant to treat VVF patients, but to also provide antenatal care for them.

     

    “Therefore, I am calling on the people of the state to utilise this opportunity and the facilities provided,” she called.

     

    Earlier, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Sadiya Mamman-Nasir, said the treated VVF ladies were trained in sewing, knitting, shoe/bag making, pasta making among other things.

     

    According to her, the primary functions of the centre are free treatment of patients with obstetric fistula, rehabilitation of treated patients, prevention of recurrence and centre for training and research.

     

    “The centre provides free fistula care to VVF patients from the North-West geo-political zone. It also receives a sizable number of patients from other zones, as well as neighbouring Niger Republic,” she said.

     

    Mamman-Nasir said that in spite of paucity of fund, the centre still treats about 400 VVF patients yearly.

     

    “However, due to paucity of funds, the centre could not rehabilitate the large number of patients being treated and operated on daily.

     

    “Hence, the centre approached the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, who facilitated the release of a special grant by the Federal Ministry of Finance for the rehabilitation activities.

     

    “Consequently, 50 repaired VVF patients are to be rehabilitated quarterly in the year 2023.

     

    “Trainees are fully accommodated at the centre, feeding of three square meals, cleaning and training materials as well as take up packs are provided to them free of charge,” she disclosed.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor’s wife presented each of the beneficiaries with cash and a clothing material (Atamfa).

    

    The repaired VVF clients were also empowered by the centre, with sewing machines, knitting and grinding machines, pasta making and sharpening machines. NAN /Flowerbudnews

    

  • FG launches NIMC Self-Service Enrolment App to ease registration

    FG launches NIMC Self-Service Enrolment App to ease registration

    The Federal Government has launched the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Self-Service Enrolment System in a bid to make the National Identity Number, NIN, accessible to Nigerians.

    The system, powered by Banksforte Limited, was launched by the Minister of Interior, Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the acting Director General/CEO of NIMC, Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, at the National Identity Day celebration on Saturday.

     

    In an interview with DAILY POST, Dayo Bankole, the Managing Director of Barnksforte Limited, explained that the App would help end the bottlenecks of NIN enrolment, as well as name, age, marital status and other NIN-related updates.

    He noted that Nigerians in rural areas can access the App nationwide.

     

    According to him, the system is going to be a game changer in NIN enrolment.

     

    “The problem this is going to be solving is allowing people to take care of changing their addresses, their date of birth, their names, in case they get married that name change at the comfort of their home rather than travelling spending a lot of money being at the National Identity Management Commission’s office spending more expenses to be able to change names.

    Once we have a smartphone, you can download the app, register and change your data and send it in, and those will approve it,” he stated.

     

  • We’ll ensure 5% reduction in road traffic deaths – FRSC

    We’ll ensure 5% reduction in road traffic deaths – FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says the present corps administration will ensure complete realisation of the five per cent reduction in road traffic deaths and injuries across the country.

     

    The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Mr Dauda Biu, said this during the 2023 Special Marshals Sectoral workshop on Saturday in Abuja

    .The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the workshop was, “Volunteerism In Road Safety Management: Limits and Possibilities.”

    Biu, who was represented by Deputy Corps Marshal (DCM), Mr Shehu Zaki, said that five per cent reduction in road traffic deaths was achievable.

     

    He said that it could be achieved by improving capacity for data collection,

    analysis and management to enhance road safety policy formulation.

     

    The FRSC boss said that there was a need to always review the Corps activities and analyse the impacts of these activities in the reduction of crashes on Nigerian Roads.

     

    According to him, road traffic crashes are not accidents, but are as a result of the actions or inactions of human beings.

     

    “It is therefore preventable. Road Safety advocacy is not for the FRSC alone rather, it is a shared responsibility involving us all.

     

    “If we resolve today to play our roles in this task, Nigeria will be saving her precious human capital; and the time for action is now,” he said.

     

    Biu said that the Corps in a bid to boost its efforts in achieving its statutory mandate, established a volunteer arm known as Special Marshals.

     

    These, he said, are men and women of proven integrity with legitimate and verifiable sources of livelihood in the society, who had interest to serve humanity without any remuneration attached.

    He noted that volunteerism was about having a selfless, nationalistic and contributory mind-set as it had no economic undertone.

     

    The corps marshal added that Special Marshals should not be perceived as persons who are only volunteering for pecuniary interest.

     

    “People should remember that the attributes of a volunteer are delivery of services that must benefit others, and all services should be done without expectation of a reward.

     

    “Road safety is a shared responsibility. Therefore, I congratulate you all on the work you do to reduce crashes on our roads.

    Together, we will ensure that the FRSC 2023 Corporate Strategic Goal in enhancing road safety partnership for innovative intervention

    and accomplishing five per cent reduction in road traffic crashes and injuries is achieved,” Biu said.

     

    Speaking, Dr Yusuf Suberu, Squadron Leader, Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), FCT, called on the motoring public to avoid speeding to save lives and property.

     

    Suberu, who is also the National Coordinator, Road Traffic and Vehicle Inspection Mayors, said that the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) had been collaborating and giving support to the FRSC.

     

    He assured that the VIO would continually synergise with the necessary sister agencies to ensure that the roads are safe for all.

     

    “We have been collaborating and giving support in all areas. We have worked together in synergy to ensure the roads are free.

    I tell drivers and motorists that it is better to be late than to be the late(dead).

     

    “Crashes must occur naturally, But you need to slow down and obey traffic rules where and when necessary,” he said.

     

    The high points of the event were the cutting of the cake, decoration of honorary special marshals, presentation of certificates of recognition and awards among others.

  • Oluwo tackles Obasanjo for ordering Oyo monarchs to stand

    Oluwo tackles Obasanjo for ordering Oyo monarchs to stand

    The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, on Saturday, said ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo ordering traditional rulers in Oyo State to stand and greet Governor Seyi Makinde, at a project inauguration in Iseyin, Oyo State, was tantamount to desecration of Yoruba traditional stools.

     

    A short video of Obasanjo, who spoke in Yoruba language, had surfaced on the Internet, expressing displeasure to the monarchs for not rising to greet Makinde, describing the action of royal fathers as disrespectful to the office of the governor.

     

    Reacting, Oba Akanbi, in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibrahim, condemned the former president’s action and demanded a letter of apology from him.

     

    The statement partly read, “I trust myself and my stool. In death, there are certain things my soul will not take let alone when alive, active, and kicking. I only blame the monarchs who stood in obeisance to such an ignoble and desecration of traditional institutions from the old man. Respect should be earned not demanded.

     

    “Traditional rulers respect their subjects too. There is a way respect is accorded to people of old age and position by monarchs. Kingship is an institution of God. As such, relating with kings requires a high sense of modesty, courtesy, and respect.

     

    “The display by the former president of Nigeria, General Obasanjo was an affront, an intentional desecration and sacrilege against revered stools of Yorubaland. An injury to one is an injury to all. Yoruba traditional rulers are not uniform men anyone can command at will. I don’t blame him, those royal fathers who stood up to obey such an embarrassing direction are to be blamed.

     

    Insisting that Yoruba monarchs could not be treated as uniform men who would be ordered around, the Oluwo blamed the royal fathers who responded to Obasanjo’s order.

    The show by the former general is condemnable. Yoruba traditional institutions demand an apology for the open desecration to molest and bring down the institution. He needs to prove himself as a core Yoruba man with an apology letter. Kings are not toddlers. We are fathers. He will never dare that against the Northern Emirs.”

  • NAFDAC Boss Speaks on Increasing Decline in  Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Imports 

    NAFDAC Boss Speaks on Increasing Decline in  Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Imports 

     

     

    By Biola Lawal

    Abuja(Flowerbudnews) NAFDAC Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has reassured Nigerians that the Agency’s committed promotion of local drug production and its import discouraging policies, among other factors, would continue to cause decline in pharmaceutical imports in Nigeria.

    Prof Adeyeye gave the assurance in a press statement which she signed personally to explain detailed Federal Government objectives  and NAFDAC policies encouraging the reduction in medical products importation into Nigeria.

    Prof Adeyeye’s statement was in response to a media publication which disclosed that “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years” and majorly failed to acknowledge the impact of increased local production for this achievement.

    The NAFDAC Boss highlighted several regulatory policies and strategies evolved by the Agency to discourage importation and strengthen consistent domestication of pharmaceutical production.

    ”At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals.,” Prof Adeyeye stated.

    The Director General disclosed that one most impactful policy introduced to discourage imports and boost local pharmaceutical production was she called the -The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)

    ”The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import.

    ”By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing.

    ”The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.

    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country.

    Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency.

    ”This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers., Prof Adeyeye stated.

    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively.

    This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.

    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors.

    It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines.

    The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency.

    The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions.

    Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines.

    This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in Nigeria to 40% as a means of bridging the gap in the health sector.

    The journey to achieve this lofty ideal, though a marathon, can be achieved in a very short time if all stakeholder and relevant government agencies in the country collaborate to change the narratives in favor of enhancing domestic production of pharmaceuticals. (Flowerbudnews)

    Full Statement Below:

    PRESS BRIEFING BY THE DG (NAFDAC) ON REPORTED DECLINE IN PHARMACEUTICAL IMPORTS INTO NIGERIA

    The attention of the Management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to publications in online tabloid, specifically the Business Day edition of 24th August 2023 titled “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years”. While the write up quoted this data from the International Trade Center, a multilateral agency, laid claim to the fact that difficulty in accessing Forex, devaluation of the Naira, attendant high inflation has reduced imports, and this was also corroborated by the immediate past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. While this may be true, the full story was not captured.
    The publication provided largely accurate statistics related to reliance on finished drug importation (about 70% of drug consumption), importation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (100%), huge jump in prices of locally manufactured and imported drugs. The report provided a mixed bag of marginal revenue loss and increase for stakeholders in the Pharmaceutical Sector. In the report, it was not asserted that decline in pharmaceutical imports is partly due to increase in local production even though a lot of boosts in local manufacturing is currently taking place as will be emphasized in the following segments.
    As a responsible regulatory agency, it is important that NAFDAC provides a rejoinder to the write up and bring up its perspective within the context of improving access to medicines by Nigerians, even though the Agency is not oblivious of the numerous challenges confronting the pharmaceutical sector in our country. At the recently concluded 74th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized on the need to strengthen local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access. (https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_ACONF1-en.pdf).
    The resolution by member countries emphasized that integration of local production into overall health systems strengthening can contribute to sustainable access to quality-assured, safe, effective, and affordable medicines and other health technologies, help to prevent or address medical product shortages, achieve universal health coverage, and the strengthening of national health emergency preparedness and response, as well as minimizing public health hazards.
    At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals. The Director General has emphasized this to promote access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. She explicitly delivered this message at the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists Annual Meeting held in Ilorin in 2018. All these led to the formulation of a number of policies which are beginning to yield the expected outcome. Some of these policies include:
    1) The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)
    The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import. By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing. The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.
    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country. Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency. This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers.
    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    3) The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively. This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.
    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors. It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    4) NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines. The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    5) International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency. The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions. Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in Nigeria to 40% as a means of bridging the gap in the health sector. The journey to achieve this lofty ideal, though a marathon, can be achieved in a very short time if all stakeholder and relevant government agencies in the country collaborate to change the narratives in favor of enhancing domestic production of pharmaceuticals.

    Thank you.
    Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye
    Director General (NAFDAC)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The attention of the Management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to publications in online tabloid, specifically the Business Day edition of 24th August 2023 titled “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years”

    While the write up quoted this data from the International Trade Center, a multilateral agency, laid claim to the fact that difficulty in accessing Forex, devaluation of the Naira, attendant high inflation has reduced imports, and this was also corroborated by the immediate past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. While this may be true, the full story was not captured.

    The publication provided largely accurate statistics related to reliance on finished drug importation (about 70% of drug consumption), importation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (100%), huge jump in prices of locally manufactured and imported drugs.

    The report provided a mixed bag of marginal revenue loss and increase for stakeholders in the Pharmaceutical Sector.

    In the report, it was not asserted that decline in pharmaceutical imports is partly due to increase in local production even though a lot of boosts in local manufacturing is currently taking place as will be emphasized in the following segments.

    As a responsible regulatory agency, it is important that NAFDAC provides a rejoinder to the write up and bring up its perspective within the context of improving access to medicines by Nigerians, even though the Agency is not oblivious of the numerous challenges confronting the pharmaceutical sector in our country.

    At the recently concluded 74th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized on the need to strengthen local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access. (https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_ACONF1-en.pdf).

    The resolution by member countries emphasized that integration of local production into overall health systems strengthening can contribute to sustainable access to quality-assured, safe, effective, and affordable medicines and other health technologies, help to prevent or address medical product shortages, achieve universal health coverage, and the strengthening of national health emergency preparedness and response, as well as minimizing public health hazards.

    At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals.

    The Director General has emphasized this to promote access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. She explicitly delivered this message at the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists Annual Meeting held in Ilorin in 2018.

    All these led to the formulation of a number of policies which are beginning to yield the expected outcome. Some of these policies include:    The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)

    The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import.

    By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing.

    The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.

    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country. Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency.

    This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers. Xxxx

    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively.

    This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.

    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors.

    It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines.

    The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency.

    The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions.

    Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines.

    This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in N

     

  • Happy News: NAFDAC Boss Speaks on Increasing Decline in  Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Imports 

    Happy News: NAFDAC Boss Speaks on Increasing Decline in  Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Imports 

    Biola Lawal
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    By Biola Lawal

    Abuja(Flowerbudnews) NAFDAC Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has reassured Nigerians that the Agency’s committed promotion of local drug production and its import discouraging policies, among other factors, would continue to cause decline in pharmaceutical imports in Nigeria.

    Prof Adeyeye gave the assurance in a press statement which she signed personally to explain detailed Federal Government objectives  and NAFDAC policies encouraging the reduction in medical products importation into Nigeria.

    Prof Adeyeye’s statement was in response to a media publication which disclosed that “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years” and majorly failed to acknowledge the impact of increased local production for this achievement.

    The NAFDAC Boss highlighted several regulatory policies and strategies evolved by the Agency to discourage importation and strengthen consistent domestication of pharmaceutical production.

    ”At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals.,” Prof Adeyeye stated.

    The Director General disclosed that one most impactful policy introduced to discourage imports and boost local pharmaceutical production was she called the -The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)

    ”The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import.

    ”By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing.

    ”The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.

    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country.

    Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency.

    ”This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers., Prof Adeyeye stated.

    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively.

    This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.

    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors.

    It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines.

    The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency.

    The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions.

    Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines.

    This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in Nigeria to 40% as a means of bridging the gap in the health sector.

    The journey to achieve this lofty ideal, though a marathon, can be achieved in a very short time if all stakeholder and relevant government agencies in the country collaborate to change the narratives in favor of enhancing domestic production of pharmaceuticals. (Flowerbudnews)

    Full Statement Below:

    PRESS BRIEFING BY THE DG (NAFDAC) ON REPORTED DECLINE IN PHARMACEUTICAL IMPORTS INTO NIGERIA

    The attention of the Management of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has been drawn to publications in online tabloid, specifically the Business Day edition of 24th August 2023 titled “Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical Import drop 63% in Two Years”. While the write up quoted this data from the International Trade Center, a multilateral agency, laid claim to the fact that difficulty in accessing Forex, devaluation of the Naira, attendant high inflation has reduced imports, and this was also corroborated by the immediate past President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. While this may be true, the full story was not captured.
    The publication provided largely accurate statistics related to reliance on finished drug importation (about 70% of drug consumption), importation of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (100%), huge jump in prices of locally manufactured and imported drugs. The report provided a mixed bag of marginal revenue loss and increase for stakeholders in the Pharmaceutical Sector. In the report, it was not asserted that decline in pharmaceutical imports is partly due to increase in local production even though a lot of boosts in local manufacturing is currently taking place as will be emphasized in the following segments.
    As a responsible regulatory agency, it is important that NAFDAC provides a rejoinder to the write up and bring up its perspective within the context of improving access to medicines by Nigerians, even though the Agency is not oblivious of the numerous challenges confronting the pharmaceutical sector in our country. At the recently concluded 74th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized on the need to strengthen local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access. (https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_ACONF1-en.pdf).
    The resolution by member countries emphasized that integration of local production into overall health systems strengthening can contribute to sustainable access to quality-assured, safe, effective, and affordable medicines and other health technologies, help to prevent or address medical product shortages, achieve universal health coverage, and the strengthening of national health emergency preparedness and response, as well as minimizing public health hazards.
    At the inception of the current NAFDAC administration in November 2017 the overarching goal was to formulate and implement policies aimed at enhancing and promoting local production of pharmaceuticals. The Director General has emphasized this to promote access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. She explicitly delivered this message at the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists Annual Meeting held in Ilorin in 2018. All these led to the formulation of a number of policies which are beginning to yield the expected outcome. Some of these policies include:
    1) The Five + Five (5+5) Policy or Regulatory Directive (RD)
    The 5+5 policy is aimed at migration of previously imported products (that can be manufactured locally) to local manufacturing after the last renewal of five years post the effective date of the RD, i.e., upon renewal of the previous five years before the RD date, the renewal for five years post the effective RD date is the last approval to import. By the end of the third year of that last renewal, the importer/manufacturer must present to NAFDAC a plan to migrate to local manufacturing or partner with an existing local manufacturer through contract manufacturing. The essence of this policy is to provide the Agency a strong foothold for enhancing local manufacturing and regulatory oversight aimed at improving access to medicines that meet the requirements for quality, safety, and efficacy.
    It is a veritable means of curbing importation with the attendant influx of SF medicines into the country. Outcome of this policy showed that as of July 2023, a total of fifty-seven companies (representing about 30% of total number of local manufacturers) have provided the blueprint for migration to local manufacturing to the Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs Directorate of the Agency. This migration is either to build and erect brand new Pharma manufacturing plants or enter contractual manufacturing partnerships with local drug manufacturers.
    Expansion of NAFDAC’s Ceiling list
    This expansionist intervention is to reduce the importation of medicines that can be manufactured locally, thereby stimulating the utilization of idle capacity of local manufacturers of essential medicines. The ceiling had nine (9) products prior to 2020 but has now been increased to thirty-four (34). This has invariably led to decline in imports of products listed on the ceiling list.

    3) The Policy on Establishment of New Pharmaceutical Plants in Nigeria
    This policy enables companies to get their facility design right before commencing construction, all in a bid to eliminate potential for manufacture of SF medicines resulting from poorly designed manufacturing facilities. As of July 2023, A total of 57 and 18 new manufacturers, many of whom are importers have either received regulatory approval to erect new GMP compliant Pharma plant in Nigeria or have their layouts undergoing reviews respectively. This is in addition to the fact that 53 of existing local manufacturers have either obtained regulatory approval to build new plants or are currently undergoing regulatory reviews of their layouts. The implication of this is that as of July 2023.
    This resurgence of deliberate intent to comply with extant regulatory requirements by importers and local manufacturers will no doubt translate to decline in pharma imports, notwithstanding the exit of fair-weather investors. It is also important to note that these approvals translate to millions of dollars (USD) as investment into the Nigerian economy.

    4) NAFDAC Tariff Regime on Imported Products
    This is one other intervention put in place to encourage local manufacture of essential medicines. The cost of registration of Imported drugs is several times higher than local products to further discourage drug imports.

    5) International Certification and Risk Based Classification of Local Drug Manufacturers
    Attainment of ISO 9001:2015 Standards and WHO Global Benchmarking of Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status presents any National Medicine Regulatory Authority as a functioning and stable regulatory Agency. The attainment of this status, coupled with risk based classification of local drug manufacturers by the Agency in May 2019 at the first instance, and subsequently in February 2022 is reverberating in that foreign investors and international procurement agencies are beginning to have increasing level of confidence in our regulatory oversight and patronage of made in Nigeria Products for Nigeria Public Health Programs as against importation of products to support domestic public health interventions. Recently, technical partners (e.g., UNICEF, UNITAID, UNOPS etc.) and sister agencies in Nigeria (e.g., National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA) have relied on NAFDAC’s oversight function to patronize local drug manufacturing concerns, justifying another reason for decline in imports.

    It is in our humble opinion that inspite of the multitude of challenges confronting the local pharma industries in Nigeria, local production is the surest means of providing quickest access to quality, safe and efficacious medicines. This stance is further supported by the recent disclosure by the Special Adviser to the President (Salma Anas-Ibrahim) at a workshop in Nigeria to reduce importation of drugs in Nigeria to 40% as a means of bridging the gap in the health sector. The journey to achieve this lofty ideal, though a marathon, can be achieved in a very short time if all stakeholder and relevant government agencies in the country collaborate to change the narratives in favor of enhancing domestic production of pharmaceuticals.

    Thank you.
    Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye
    Director General (NAFDAC)

     

  • Archbishop wife urges journalists to balance report, says character assassination is actionable

    Archbishop wife urges journalists to balance report, says character assassination is actionable

     

     

    The Wife of the Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Anglican Bishop of Awka, Mrs Martha Ibezim, has urged journalists to always balance their report as character assassination is actionable.

    Ibezim, who also is the Principal of Queens’ Convent Awka, said this on Friday in a statement she issued to newsmen in Enugu with the title: “Re: Gateman impregnates 3 Students at Queens’ Convent Awka, Anambra State”.

    She noted that journalists as partners in progress and societal development agents should strive to get the other sides of any report or story before rushing to the press.

     

     

    The archbishop wife noted that the online social media report with the title: “Gateman impregnates 3 students at Queens’ Convent Awka” is malicious and fabricated story that have no iota of truth in its entirety.

     

     

    Ibezim, who is a professionally trained school administrator and lecturer, said that “there was not and can never be such pedestrian story from the school I preside over”.

     

     

    “Our attention has been drawn to rumours making the rounds, which is maliciously and calculated to tarnish the image of our Convent, the best Girls Secondary School in Anambra State – Queens’ Convent, Awka, Anambra State.

     

     

    “Queens’ Convent students are on holidays and will resume next week. Before the closure for last term, there was nothing of such unless in the imaginations of such paid peddlers of the malicious, pedestrian and denigrating information against our school.

     

     

    “The school’s gatemen are four – two elderly and two young men – posted by their company, FEDA Securities and they have nothing to do with the students but their duty posts.

     

     

    “Our students are prohibited from going to the gate and being seen with the security men. They have nothing to do with where students reside.

     

     

    “Let’s reiterate that the school only hires the service of a professional security company which posts trained personnel to the school,” she said.

     

     

    According to her, the issue of committing suicide and jumping from a two-storey building never existed as the students are still in holiday as we speak.

     

     

    She said: “Those who are peddling the malicious propaganda to run the school’s image down should be ready to present the three pregnant girls at the appropriate time when called upon.

     

     

    “We are not interested in knowing those used to run negative commentary about our school, but the medium (media) should be able to present the three pregnant students when called upon.,” she said.

     

     

    “And let us reiterate that there are staff on duty 24 hours in Queens’ Convent, Awka, making it impossible for such thing to happen in the Convent.

     

     

    “Their matrons have their apartments in the hostels for close monitoring and no male staff has access to their hostels. Only the female staff monitors the students from morning to night and the male activities end in the classrooms and field.”

     

     

    Ibezim noted that no teacher of the school can malign or speak to the press on such foul language but enemies of the feats recorded by Queens’ Convent recently in state, national and international competitions and examinations where our students are breaking new records.

     

     

    The principal said that the students of the school are outstanding in WAEC, NECO, Anambra State Essay Competition (1st position); Children’s Day Match Past (1st position) and Provincial Mathematics Competition (1st position).

     

     

    She said: “The students from the Convent are champions in external competitions, hence the performance in JAMB, WAEC and NECO made the students to gain admissions straight to higher Institutions within and outside the country.

     

     

    “They participated in WHO IS WHO essay competition sponsored by Hon. Justice T.U Uzokwe for all the secondary schools in Anambra State and they came first and fourth respectively; just to mention a few exceptional performances of the students of the school.

     

     

    She said that recently, inspectors from the Federal Ministry of Education visited the school for overhaul assessment of the school on Quality Assurance.

    The principal said that he ministry officials assessed the school inside out, both the laboratories, library, staff, etc, and equally interacted with the students, school management and parents and their findings showed that the school is doing her best.

    “We thank God that the spiritual lives of the students are not neglected as there are numerous programmes to ensure that they grow daily in their relationship with Christ,” she added. (Flowerbudnews)