EU Lifts another Three Year Ban on Beans Exportation
- As NAFDAC assures of better development plan for 2017
Martins Ifijeh
The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Yetunde Oni, has stated that the ban placed on exportation of beans by the European Union due to its claim of being substandard and poisonous has been lifted for the next three years by the union.
Speaking during the visit of the Senate Health Committee to the agency, she said this was made possible because the agency has put in place strategic attempt to improvise locally made products in other to suit both local and international demand.
“We are putting our best as an institution to ensure that all leakages are blocked, and we are also ensuring that next year will be better than this year because we have put a lot of strategies in place,” she added.
While calling for the circulating of counterfeit drug to be traced to the activities at the country borders, Oni pleaded with the health committee to facilitate NAFDAC’s return to the border to carry out their duties in order to ensure that counterfeit products were seized from entering the country.
“The unwholesome product coming into the country comes through porous active border post, and NAFDAC is not at the ports. We are not aware of what is entering into the country. Although we have a strong relationship with the customs and we are always invited to perform our roles, but being at the port used to be the case in the past. We want the Ministry of Health to help us look into it,” she said.
On his part, the Senate Health Committee Chairman, Senator OlanrewajuTejuosho said the health facility tour of various institutions, including NAFDAC was to prepare and ensure a better budget preparation against 2017.
He said 2016 budget suffered a lot of paddling as a result of impromptu preparation of the budget which was planned within two to three weeks.
He lamented that products under exporting ban were negatively affecting the country as income to be generated from exporting were meant to boost the financial situation of the country.
He called on NAFDAC to ensure that products for exporting meet international standard as this would also increase the inflow of foreign exchange into the country.
