FG sets N9.6billion fake pharmaceutical products ablaze in Rivers State

The Federal Government on Monday destroyed by fire over N9.6billion worth of fake pharmaceutical products jointly seized by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) at Igwuruta, Rivers State.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewale, at the brief ceremony before the destruction of the fake pharmaceutical products, at Government Dump-Site, Igwuruta, pointed out that the fight against fake and substandard food and pharmaceutical products in the country was part of the anti-corruption crusade of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, explaining that corruption was not restricted to fraudulent acquisition of monies.

“Today is very significant in the annals of our history. When Mr. President came on board, he came on board with a very focused programme. Number one on his agenda is to tackle corruption. But many of us, when we discuss corruption, we discuss monetary inducement and thievery of funds.

“Nothing destroys this nation more than the importation, distribution and consumption of these types of bad products that do not have credible NAFDAC number. Some of them have NAFDAC number but I am told they are fake. What is important is that we are queuing into this war against corruption,” he said.

The Minister continued: “One cannot but agree with the submission of His Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State that the manufacture and distribution of substandard falsified products is the worst of the all the crimes one can commit against humanity.

“So, your job is to protect and safeguard the health of our people and it is important. There are documents that show that there are people who profiteer from this business causing us significant harm. The volume of trade has so far surpassed that of heroin and cocaine. So, it is a significant volume of business which we must all stamp out,” he said.

The Minister later commissioned the Zonal office of NAFDAC in Port Harcourt, where he pledged that President Mohammed Buhari-led administration would complete all abandoned projects in the country.
Prof. Adewale said that it was important that we celebrated the commitment of NAFDAC to get work done and thanked the leadership for getting that completed.
“If you decide to take a closer scrutiny at many of the contracts that we have awarded, we have awarded at Federal Executive Council meeting, projects that were initiated as far back as 2007 but abandoned.

“This job is in keeping with the philosophy of this administration that we will not leave any project abandoned. Our prime task is to complete all abandoned projects. I want to thank NAFDAC for queuing into the vision of this administration,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, informed the Minister that a total of 21 containers were seized in the joint operation with the Nigerian Customs Service.
Mrs. Oni added that 11 containers contained fake pharmaceutical products while the other 10, which were still kept at the Government Ware House in Port Harcourt, contained expired bread improvers.

The NAFDAC Acting Director-General said that fake pharmaceutical products found in the 11 containers included Tramadol, Diclofenol, Diarrestof, Labisnol and Diclofolk.

R-L Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewale; Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Theophilus Odagme and Ag. DG of NAFDAC, Mrs Yetunde Oni addressing Journalist shortly after the destruction of 11 Containers of Confisticated Imported Phamarceutical Products, worth
Over 9Billion Naira yesterday In Igwurita, Rivers State.