By Sola OGUNDIPE
TO kick off its monitoring and regulatory activities for 2011, the  National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has introduced anti-impersonation security badges for  senior grade  officials of the Agency.

The move, which is aimed at forestalling  activities of impersonators,comes on the heels of the Agency’s acquisition of  sophisticated ultra modern anti-counterfeiting Israeli Technology security device known as Infra-Red.

Director General of the Agency, Dr. Paul Orhii (2nd right); with Mr Macdonald Garba,Deputy Director Enforcement (right); Mrs Ogochukwu Mainasara,Deputy Director Food Registration (2nd left) and Mrs Mojisola Amore, Deputy Director Chemical Import Control left displaying the badges during the occasion. Photo by Biodun Ogunleye.

The new gold-plated badge which would help members of the public to distinguish a genuine NAFDAC officer from unscrupulous individuals parading themselves as officers of the Agency, is, however, not a replacement for the existing NAFDAC identification card but an addition.

At the media presentation of the gold-plated badges in Lagos, Director General of the Agency, Dr. Paul Orhii said the Infra-Red security device was introduced  as part of the growing list of technologies being deployed for the fight against drug counterfeiting.

Presenting the badges, Orhii said NAFDAC is not only confronted with the enormous challenge of fighting drug counterfeiting but also faced with the task of combating the worrisome incidences of fake NAFDAC regulatory officers.

“Impersonation of NAFDAC officers by unscrupulous conmen who extort money from unsuspecting manufacturers, distributors and marketers of NAFDAC regulated products in various part of the country is a serious problem warranting decisive and proactive measures,” he noted.

Among cases of impersonation he said were recorded in 2010 occurred on 5th August, 2010, involving one  Usman Mohammed and Ahmed Adeyemi who went to Badex Nigeria Enterprises, a producer of packaged water at Pategi, claiming to be NAFDAC officers from Abuja and demanding for the sum of N50, 000 to prevent his arrest because they claimed he was producing without NAFDAC registration number.

“The company was told to pay the money into the account of Mr. Usman Mohammed- Bank PHB 2051345878. When Badex Nigeria Enterprises did not respond, the same people demanded the company should pay N30,000 and buy them recharge cards. It was after this encounter that the case was reported to NAFDAC and the culprits were apprehended.”

Also, he recalled that on 20th August, 2010, one Johnson Olumodegun Bello and Bode W. U went to Bash Bello pure water in Ilorin and met the security guard who was told to inform the owner of the company to raise the fence and pay the sum of N25,000 into the account of Olumodegun – Oceanic Bank 283001015087. Two telephone numbers 08123105302 and 08038462309 were given for the company to contact them and both men claimed they were from NAFDAC Headquarters in Abuja.

According to Orhii,  Ojo was convicted of impersonation by Ibadan Magistrate Court in 2005 while Usman Mohammed was comvicted by Lafia Magistrate Court for the same offence in 2009.

In 2010, NAFDAC placed several public alert notices disclaiming some groups of people posing as NAFDAC consultants going around the country to extort money from innocent unemployed graduates under the guise of helping the Agency to recruit staff.

“Given this scenario,” the DG noted, “there is no way the Agency can fold its arms and allow charlatans to tarnish our hard earned reputation while at the same time inflicting financial loses and psychological trauma on innocent Nigerians.

“I want to reiterate the Agency’s preparedness to deal severely with cases of impersonations and other malpractices that infringe on NAFDAC laws.

“I wish to use this opportunity to remind the general public that NAFDAC does not accept cash from companies and individuals for all her transactions. It is therefore advised that any suspicious case of impersonation should immediately be reported to the nearest NAFDAC office or call one of our hotlines: 08133630600 or 08058741647.”