The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday partially unsealed popular Abia Medicine and beverage markets in Abia State.
This is even as they have vowed to arrest and prosecute those found culpable of drug counterfeiting.
The markets include Tenant medicine market, Ekumi shopping plaza housing both hair/beauty accessories and members of medicine and pharmaceutical dealers in Ariaria International market and Zone 9 in Eziukwu market respectively.
While Cemetery market zone 9 was sealed on December 16, 2024, the Ekumi Plaza was sealed about two weeks ago in a raid in the market against counterfeit, unregistered and adulterated medicines.
This medium had reported that NAFDAC had sealed the popular Bakassi zone of Eziukwu/Cemetery Market, Medical and pharmaceutical section of Ekumi Plaza in Ariaria International Market, following the discovery of revalidation and relabelling of expired medicines and beverages, baby foods and among others by some traders with the intent of selling them to unsuspecting members of the public.
Infonet9ja.com also reported that traders, who mostly sell hair and beauty accessories at the Ekumi Plaza expressed frustration over what they described as prolonged shutdown of their shops in the past few weeks by NAFDAC personnel, stating that they have been forced out of business despite not being involved in the sale of medicine and pharmaceutical products.
The decision to reopen the markets, our correspondent gathered came after several high level discussions were held by the governor of the state, Dr. Alex Otti and the leadership of NAFDAC at the national level.
Speaking in a meeting with the leadership of Eziukwu, Tenant road and Ekumi shopping plaza at the Office of the Mayor of Aba South local government area of the state, the Director of NAFDAC southeast zone, Martins Iluyomade said that they will only allow owners of shops that were not sealed by the federal government agency and those who do not deal on medicine to continue with their trade.
Iluyomade who thanked the governor of the state, Dr. Alex Otti for his support to the NAFDAC throughout the period of their operation, warned that the agency would be prosecuting those involved in revalidation, relabelling and counterfeiting another person’s or company’s products.
The NAFDAC chief who accused those dealing in unwholesome foods, beverages and adulterated medicines of causing more harm to the innocent members of the public, said that the agency would not allow them to thrive in their illicit activities.
He urged those whose shops have been sealed to come and meet with them to initiate the process of reopening them.
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor of the state, Ukoha Njoku Ukoha who represented the governor of the state in the meeting, warned that anyone found to be using his property for the production and sale of banned, counterfeited and unlicensed products risk losing such property, adding that the fight against fake beverages, medicine was total.
He assured that the state government would support NAFDAC in its fight against fake and adulterated medicines and beverages.
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The Mayor of Aba South local government area, Hon. Anyanwu Obialor, thanked the governor for intervening and promised that the Aba South local government area council will not hesitate in revoking the ownership license of any shop owner who allow his or her shop to be used for any form of illegal activities in the state .
