The South East Caucus in the House of Representatives is urging the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to consider reopening the Onitsha Bridgehead Market in Anambra. This call was made by the caucus leader, Hon. Igariwey Enwo, during a news conference at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Tuesday.
NAFDAC had sealed over 4,000 shops in Onitsha, 3,027 shops in Lagos, and 4,000 shops in Aba as part of its ongoing nationwide operations to clamp down on fake and substandard medicines. The caucus leader condemned the activities of unscrupulous traders in the market, describing them as “death merchants and economic saboteurs”.
According to Hon. Enwo, the caucus commends NAFDAC for its intervention in halting the activities of these traders. However, he urged the agency not to punish innocent and genuine traders, as well as medicine users, alongside the alleged criminals. He emphasized that the sealing of the entire market has had a huge collateral damage on the country, particularly on medicine users in the South East and South South zones.
Hon. Enwo explained that the market caters to over 90% of the medication needs of the South East and South South regions. He urged NAFDAC to quickly arrest and prosecute those responsible for the production and distribution of fake drugs, rather than sealing the entire market.
The caucus leader also urged the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) to step up its efforts to prevent the influx of fake and adulterated drugs into the country. He emphasized the need for better protection of the land, sea, and air borders to nip the problem in the bud.
Hon. Enwo’s call for the reopening of the Onitsha Bridgehead Market is supported by the fact that many genuine traders are affected by the sealing of the market. He urged NAFDAC to quickly resolve the situation by prosecuting the offenders and sanitizing the entire medical ecosystem.
The South East Caucus’s intervention is a welcome development in the efforts to address the menace of fake and substandard medicines in the country. By urging NAFDAC to reopen the Onitsha Bridgehead Market, the caucus is advocating for a more nuanced approach that distinguishes between genuine traders and those involved in illicit activities.
In conclusion, the call by the South East Caucus for the reopening of the Onitsha Bridgehead Market is a step in the right direction. It is essential for NAFDAC to adopt a more targeted approach that addresses the root causes of the problem, rather than punishing innocent traders and medicine users.
