– NAFDAC
The Abia state Government on Wednesday, January, 22, 2025, issued a stern warning to all merchants of fake and counterfeit products across markets in the State.
This is even as the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, insisted that it is only against some unscrupulous elements endangering the health of unsuspecting Nigerians.
At an interactive session with the leadership, traders and other stakeholders of the embattled, Eziukwu Road International Market Aba, Martins Iluyomade, Director, South East Zone of NAFDAC, informed that the market, will only be unsealed after due consultation with the National leadership of the regulatory body.
The Source reports that the Eziukwu Road market ,a renowned hub for the sale and distribution of essential commodities in the South East, was, in December, 2024, sealed by the NAFDAC after intercepting adulterated items worth over N5 billion.
The monumental seizure initially led to the closure of the entire market which serves customers from the South South and South East Regions.
However, before leaving the Commercial hub of Abia State on December 17, the regulatory agency, reopened some parts of the market, leaving sealed the areas largely perceived as a haven for producers and distributors of counterfeit items .
According to the South East Director of NAFDAC, the areas closed will remain so until the resolution of some teething problems.
Look, it is not as if NAFDAC is against buying and selling, but we are rather against the activities of some unscrupulous elements who are poisoning their fellow citizens all in the name of doing business
Anyway, I have heard the plea of the stakeholders for the reopening of the sealed areas of the market. But such a decision can not be taken at the Zonal level as we need to table the matter before the national leadership of the organization.
“We value the creativity of an average Aba person ,as well as his/ her industry. However, we are of the view that the creative abilities should be properly harnessed and channeled towards the improvement of the nation’s economy and not to destroy it and the citizens.
When we first came in 2023, it was based on the information we received. After observing somethings happening at the market ,we took a decision that we will not allow those things to continue.
We are hearing of kidney failure, heart failure and other things we were not hearing before. Available data has shown that 60% of those suffering these ailments are people from this region. Anything that has. to do with food and drug is a serious matter .
“You can wipe a whole nation through food and drink. It is worst than carrying gun. This issue of fake products related ailments is worse because you use your hard-earned money to buy death.
“This is why because of our commitment, we are insisting that this problem of fake and counterfeit products will not be allowed to fester”, Iluyemode stated.
He lauded the leadership of the market for exhibiting enough political will in pushing for the eradication of the menace of fake and counterfeit products at the market.
Also speaking, the Abia State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Hon Kingsley Nwokocha, called on those engaged in the unwholesome business of. fake and counterfeit products manufacturing and distribution to quickly relocate from the State.
According to him, the State authorities will no longer condone any activities that tend to drag the good name of Abia state to the mud.
“What these few heartless people are doing is denting the image of the State as well as undermining the efforts of Governor Alex Otti in repositioning the State.
According to him, the State authorities will no longer condone any activities that tend to drag the good name of Abia state to the mud.
“What these few heartless people are doing is denting the image of the State as well as undermining the efforts of Governor Alex Otti in repositioning the State.
“If we say we appreciate the Governor and what he is doing, why then undermining his efforts? It is time we recognized ourselves and do things right .
“If we don’t do things right, the impressions out there will remain bad .
The Governor is totally against this unwholesome act of faking products .It s time we stopped these few individuals from denting the reputation of the state .
“I am here to plead that we should stop killing our fellow citizens in the name of making money. We all are the consumers of these fake products and until we collectively say no to this ungodly act, we can’t make progress as a people.
“I beg all of you to look for another business.Leave this business of fake products manufacturing and distribution because it is not going to be business as usual in the state”, Hon Nwokocha noted .
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