FG Returns NAFDAC to Ports and Borders

Martins Ifijeh

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA’s) and with the active support of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), will be returning to Ports and borders to effectively control the importation of narcotic drugs and hazardous chemical substances that have been identified to be grossly abused and consequently, posing public health and security threats to the Nation.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Mojisola Adeyeye, who stated this in a statement made available to THISDAY, said the return of NAFDAC officials to the Ports and borders will once again, restore its key responsibility of monitoring imports of controlled drugs and chemical substances which come in various forms, thus requiring expertise to monitor their industry-wide application and use.

“NAFDAC wishes to commend the Office of the NSA, the Chemical Society of Nigeria and other key stakeholders for recognizing the Agency as a key player in the national security architecture by this singular act of restoring the presence of NAFDAC officials at all designated Ports of entry and land borders.

“The laws that set up NAFDAC empower the agency to statutorily operate at the ports. The clearance of regulated products outside of the current legal framework poses immediate and life threatening risks to the public as unregistered, spurious and falsified products exit the ports without recourse to the agency’s approval for such products to be in the market,” she added.