From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The South East caucus of the House of Representatives has implored the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) not to punish innocent traders at the BridgeHead Market, Ontisha , Anambra State.
The caucus, which spoke against the backdrop of the recent sealing of medicine market in Ontisha, Anambra State, by NAFDAC commended the agency for taking steps to halt the activities of merchants of counterfeit drugs in the country.
The South East lawmakers, while condemning the activities of unscrupulous persons engaged in the production and distribution of fake drugs in the country, said the indefinite closure of the Ontisha BridgeHead Market may not be the best approach.
NAFDAC recently sealed the Bridge Head Medicine Market, in Ontisha, alongside similar markets in Lagos and Abia States.
However, the South East lawmakers, while speaking at a press briefing, in Abuja, urged NAFDAC to immediately arrest and prosecute those responsible for the production and distribution of fake drugs across the country.
Nonetheless, the leader of the South East caucus, Igariwey Iduma Enwo, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the regulatory agency to quickly resolve the issue in the interest of innocent traders and people of the zone, who depend on the market for their needs.
Igariwey said “as a caucus, we unequivocally condemn the nefarious activities of unscrupulous traders and so-called businessmen and women, who peddle and engage in the business of production and distribution of fake, adulterated and unwholesome medications and drugs, which they pass on to the unsuspecting public.
“To say the very least, their activities not only imperil public health, but have led directly or indirectly to loss of lives. To a lesser extent, these death merchants are also economic saboteurs since their clandestine activities are not open to government scrutiny and taxation.”
The lawmaker added “however, while we are mindful of NAFDAC’s statutory role in curbing and stamping out of fake drugs in the country, we urge them to quickly arrest and prosecute those responsible for the production and distribution of these fake drugs.
“The wholesale and indefinite sealing of a market that caters for over ninety percent of the medication needs of the South East and South South regions, may not be the best approach, moreso when it is considered that many of the other traders in the same market are genuine business men and women.’