Unregistered Products: NAFDAC raids market, stores in Lagos
NAN-HG-6
Raids
By Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, Dec. 15, 2016 (NAN) The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) on Thursday raided some stores and markets in Lagos to rid them of unregistered and counterfeit products.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that officials of the agency raided some stores in Oshodi Market and Iyana-Ipaja.
Mr Mike Okudah, an Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer in NAFDAC, told NAN that the agency had increased surveillance on the sales of unregistered and counterfeit products in the state.
Okudah said during the raid, that the exercise was very important this period, due to the increase in purchasing activities.
According to him, NAFDAC is committed to safeguarding the health of the nation, pointing out that traders would be compelled to comply with approved health standards.
He said that the agency would not hesitate to ban the sale and consumption of any product that failed to meet its standards.
Okudah said: “We got information that some unregistered products are being sold in these shops. Based on this intelligence, we have come to these places and confiscated the affected brands.
“The owners and management of these places have been invited to our office with the purchase receipts of the items and with the receipts we will trace the importers of the products.
“We are poised to increase surveillance on the activities of the traders to curb the importation and sales of unregistered and harmful products in the country.
“Always and especially during festive periods, NAFDAC will ensure that only wholesome, good quality and safe products are allowed into and sold in the country,’’ he said.
Okudah advised the traders to sell products that were duly registered by NAFDAC to ensure safety of the citizenry.
He also urged consumers to always check for the NAFDAC registration number, manufacture and expiry dates of products before purchasing them.
Reacting to the raid, a representative of one of the shops, who pleaded anonymity, said that he was not aware that the brands were not duly registered by NAFDAC.
According to him, the business outfit did not bother to check for the registration number because it assumed that the importer or wholesaler had already ensured that the items were fit for the Nigerian market.
The representative said that he would honour NAFDAC’s invitation for interrogations because he was committed to helping it to ensure that only approved wholesome goods were imported and sold in the country.
Items seized during the raid included various drinks, beverages and cosmetics such as Glen Scanlan Blended Scotch Whisky Reserve, Sir Edward’s Finest Scotch Whisky and 6 Sense London Dry Gin.
Others were Carotone Light and Natural Collagen Formula, Carotone Brightening Cream, Body Lotion, Trio BSC Lotion and Tube Cream.
Also confiscated were Carotone cleanser, Bisquet Cognac, De Luze Cognac Fine Champagne and Teacher’s Highland Cream Blended Scotch Whiskey. (NAN)
VIV/EMO/MST
Edited by Ejike Obeta/Muhammad Suleiman Tola