Reps want life imprisonment for producers, importers of fake medicines

The house of representatives is seeking life imprisonment for individuals involved in the production and importation of fake medicines.

Lawmakers are asking Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation, to propose amendments to existing laws to impose stricter penalties on those found guilty of dealing in counterfeit medicine.

The house passed the resolution during Tuesday’s plenary, following a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Muktar Shagaya, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Kwara state.

The motion comes following an uptick in the circulation of counterfeit medicines and substandard products across Nigeria in recent years.

In December 2023, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced it destroyed fake products worth N120 billion in just six months.

In 2019, Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s director-general, called for harsher punishments for drug traffickers, stating that light sentences were not an adequate deterrent.

THE MOTION

Presenting the motion, Shagaya highlighted the “alarming” rise in counterfeit medicines and substandard goods, warning that it poses a serious risk to public health, national security, and the economy.

“Nigeria suffers economic losses of approximately N15 trillion annually due to counterfeit and substandard goods as reported by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON),” he said.

“The unchecked proliferation of fake products not only jeopardises consumer safety but also discourages genuine investment in the food and pharmaceutical industries.”

The legislator said existing regulations have not deterred fake medicine peddlers due to weak enforcement, corruption, and the absence of stringent penalties for offenders.

He said offenders often return to the illicit trade due to “lenient fines and bailable sentences,” allowing them to operate with impunity.

The lawmaker said a national state of emergency is necessary to intensify enforcement efforts, strengthen regulatory institutions, and impose stricter sanctions on perpetrators.

The motion was not debated and was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker who presided over plenary.

Consequently, the house asked the federal government to strengthen the capacity of regulatory agencies, particularly NAFDAC, SON and customs by providing adequate funding, modern equipment and advanced technology for effective surveillance, detection and enforcement.

The green chamber also mandated the committees on health, commerce, and industry to conduct a “comprehensive investigation” into the prevalence of counterfeit products and propose legislative measures to address regulatory gaps.