Fake and adulterated products valued at over N2.6billion have been destroyed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Enugu State.
The products which included rice and assorted drinks were confiscated by NAFDAC from dealers across the five South-Eastern zones.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye disclosed this on Thursday at the Southeast Destruction Exercise held at the Enugu State Waste Management Authority Dump Site.
Adeyeye, who was represented by the Southeast Zonal Director of NAFDAC, Mr Iluyomade Martins, put the total value of the products destroyed at N2, 664,548,683.33 in street value.
“These products would have compromised the health of over three million people. They would have increased the health burden on our already overstretched health institutions. They would have also increased the poverty rate by making people spend money they should use to improve their livelihoods on medical trips. It is also pertinent to know, that several people have lost their lives and met their untimely death due to the consumption of these poisons,” Adeyeye said.
She insisted that NAFDAC will not rest on its oars until every household can buy regulated products without the fear of being substandard, adulteration or fake.
“This event today is to signal to the people of the South-East that it is no longer business as usual to merchants of death who are hell-bent on destroying other people for their own selfish economic gains.
“I want thank other sister agencies for the synergy and inter-agency cooperation without which we cannot succeed in this endeavour.
“NAFDAC will not rest on its oars until every household in Nigeria can buy any regulated product without fear of substandard and adulteration or fake,” Adeyeye said.
The NAFDAC DG enjoined the public to join hands with the agency in this fight by reporting unscrupulous manufacturers and business men who engage in illicit practises to the nearest NAFDAC office for prompt investigation.
“The visions of the agency is to be a world-class regulator that ensures availability of quality and safe food, drugs, and other regulated products.
“The mission of the agency is to protect and promote the public health by instituting an effective and efficient regulatory system that ensures only the right quality food, drugs and other regulated products are manufactured, exported, imported, advertised, distributed, sold, and used,” she reminded.
Adeyeye added that, “The current administration is fully committed to the fulfilment of the vision and mission of the agency in order to safeguard the health of all Nigerians.”
She stressed that this is being achieved through the implementation of various policies and strategies to make the impact of NAFDAC felt in every family in Nigeria and in the diaspora where NAFDAC-regulated products are consumed.
She notified that the South-East Directorate of NAFDAC comprises the five states of Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Enugu and Abia states which she noted as very strategic to achieving the mandate of the agency.
“Several raids and routine activity have led to the confiscation of several fake, substandard, falsified, adulterated and spurious foods, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, chemicals and other regulated consignments that are very injurious to the health of Nigerians and especially to the people of South-East,” Adeyeye stated.