Nigerian Newspapers
The new NAFDAC
By Victor Mojekwu
With great expectations for the future, Nigerians from all walks of life celebrated the appointment of Dr Paul Orhii as the Director-General (DG) of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), a few years ago.
With his medical background, exposure and intimidating curriculum vitae, the public saw him as a square peg in a square hole. This was expected considering what fake and adulterated products had done to this country.
His predecessor created an awareness about this scourge and tried her best to stem the tide through multiple approaches. She succeeded, to a large extent, but there were still room for improvement.
Expectedly, the new DG embarked on intensive and extensive researches on how best to confront the monster.
This resulted in far reaching reforms and innovations in the agency, through the instrumentality of new laws, capacity building, partnerships and information and communication technology. No doubt, the war is on.
However, an interaction with some stakeholders in the food and pharmaceutical industry shows that they are not in the same battalion on the war against fake and substandard products.
There are discordant tunes in the house. This is a sad development, as all hands are expected on deck for the war to be won. Some people are not happy with some of the measures adopted by the DG.
They allege that faking and counterfeiting of NAFDAC regulated products are on the increase as a result of these ‘obnoxious” policies. For instance, they allege that registration procedures and processes are now more complicated and confusing and are designed to favour a particular group of people in the society.
Some stakeholders are of the opinion that the present NAFDAC management is more interested in raising revenue for themselves, at the expense of protecting the citizenry.
They allege that unscrupulous NAFDAC officials are feeding fat from unremitted and arbitrary registration fees and that this has led to cutting of corners by agents.
For instance, early in 2012, NAFDAC management insisted that company incorporation documents and trade mark papers usually submitted in the course of product registration, be resubmitted to some private law firms for re-certification at cost to the company that wanted to register products, which was to be paid into the accounts of these law firms.
These firms are allegedly manned by friends of top management of NAFDAC. These funds were collected for several months and later stopped, but were never refunded to the companies that wanted to register their products, even when the companies protested the obvious fraud.
It was also alleged that the e-registration system started by NAFDAC was a complete waste of time as client could spend three to four weeks trying to upload documents that should ordinarily be done in a day or in few hours. Money was also paid into NAFDAC coffers, for this, and it was in doubt whether it was paid into the federation account as required by law.
Questions have also been asked by some stakeholders as to whether the administrative fines collected by NAFDAC were being lawfully collected and passed on to the federation account.
They are of the opinion is that it is only the court that can impose a fine and that NAFDAC is usurping the powers of the court by collecting large fines running into several millions and spending the same directly without remitting them to the federation account.
Some stakeholders also accuse NAFDAC of imposing excessive fines so that the company liable to pay the fines will come to plead for a discretionary reduction of the fines. Consequently, some unscrupulous NAFDAC management staff will get a private pay off in the exercise of their discretionary powers.
Allegations of abuse of administrative approvals by NAFDAC staff as well as administrative approvals for product reputation being used to favour personal friends and any company that is willing to grease the palms of the issuing officers have also been made. The consequence is lowering of standards and merit.
There has also been several complaints of the present administration appointing inexperienced personnel from outside NAFDAC, who are well known to be relations and friends of the DG to very sensitive positions whereas the experienced staff who ought to man these offices are sent to “Siberia”.
With the erosion of the financial base of NAFDAC and the enrichment of private pockets, there is staff disenchantment, as usual monies paid for official trips are delayed for months and even yearly bonuses are not regularly paid.
This has led the staff to abandon their official duties and jump into the business of scouting actively on the premises of NAFDAC and outside for private companies who they will represent in the registration of products, for a fee.
Consequently, even where a product ought not to be registered, once a staff is representing the company, rules and protocols of registration are often overlooked in favour of these companies. This was never the case before now.
The Mobile Authentication System (MAS) is another project some people are viewing with suspicion. It is being handled by a single company, creating monopoly of sorts and making corruption inevitable.
Above all, the added cost will make basic drugs such as anti-malarial, anti-biotics, more expensive for the already impoverished citizenry and ultimately make counterfeiting even more profitable.
The system, which has numerous benefits, stakeholders charge, is an innovation that should be sustained because, they said for the first time in the country, you can ascertain whether the drug you bought is fake or not right in front of the seller through this device.
There is no doubt that the present NAFDAC management is doing its best to rid our country of fake and adulterated products, but it has not met the expectation of genuine manufactures because of these shortcomings. Those who are close to the new DG say that he is a man of honour and integrity.
In recognition of his service to the country through NAFDAC, Dr. Orhii has received so many awards, both locally and internationally, including the national honour, of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). However, these awards would be meaningless if Nigerians are not the ultimate recipients of his expected service delivery at NAFDAC.
* Mojekwu writes from Abuja
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Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.
The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.
According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.
This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.
Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.
Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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