Civil society calls for probe of some NAFDAC officials

A civil society organisation, Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative, has called on the federal government to investigate some officials of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) who are said to be aiding and abetting crimes.

In a statement, the group said some of the NAFDAC officials reneged on their responsibility to conduct “regular assessment to manufacturing companies and its facilities” and the lack of disciplinary actions on offenders would tell on the overall health of Nigerians who are the consumers.

Yomi David, TADI director, said the incidents of “money exchanging hands” between companies and some NAFDAC officials were becoming more common and the government must call for an investigation.

“In recent times, record has showed that due to lack of hygienic environment, the world has lost over two million people in the second quarter of year 2020. Mostly affected were the children at 70 per cent, women 20 and men 10,” he said.

“Having received information from different sources with proven evidence of dirt in several products, we fear that a lot of Nigerians risk being infected through official negligence.

“We are calling on the Federal Government to probe the principal officers of NAFDAC, due to lack of regular assessment of the manufacturing companies and their facilities, lack of disciplinary action on offenders and so on.

“Our investigations showed that some of the officials have abandoned due diligence for pecuniary gains at the detriment of the health and wellbeing of Nigerians who consume several food products daily.”