By Sola Ogundipe

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, last week destroyed  a variety of counterfeit, fake, expired and unwholesome products including controlled drugs such as codeine containing cough syrup and tramadol, at the  Bajoga Road Dump Site in Gombe, Gombe State.

File: Codeine syrup

A statement issued by the Agency weekend said the destroyed products, valued at N464,731,552, included antibiotics, anti hypertensive, antiretroviral, cancer drugs, antimalarials, herbal remedies, tomato paste, non-alcoholic beverages, maize flour, insecticides etc.

The statement said the destruction which was supervised by a  NAFDAC team  led by the Zonal Coordinator of the North East Zone, Pharmacist Sabo Adamu, who represented the Director General of the Agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye   to destroy the products seized from companies caught  in sharp practices by gallant and committed NAFDAC officers during surveillance and enforcement activities. Other products were voluntarily handed over to the NAFDAC by compliant companies, sister agencies and associations.

The destruction was witnessed by the representative of the Gombe State Governor, Pharm Barka Sammy who is the Commisioner of Animal Husbandry and  representative of the Emir of Gombe, the Iyan Gombe, Alhaji Inuwa Lamido, amongst others.

According to Adeyeye: “NAFDAC will continue to do everything possible to ensure that only safe and right quality medicines, wholesome foods and other regulated products are distributed and consumed in Nigeria.”

Adeyeye appealed to political, traditional and religious leaders to sensitise their members, subjects and congregations on dangers of drugs and substance abuse; warning smugglers of codeine containing cough syrups, tramadol, substance of abuse and spurious products to desist henceforth or face the wrath of the law as surveillance and enforcement activities at all ports of entry has have been intensified.

Further, the DG appealed to the Bauchi State Government to establish drug abuse control committee comprising  NAFDAC and other relevant agencies.  She called for  office accommodation and vehicles for NAFDAC at each of the three senatorial districts e.g., Kumo and Billiri for effective coverage.

The Bauchi State Governor   directed the General Manager Gombe Media Corporation to liaise with  NAFDAC regulatory activities for sensitisation of the general public on substandard products.