IBADAN – Mr Benjamin Haruna, Oyo state Coordinator, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC, has said that the agency had sanctioned more than 1,000 offenders in the state.
Haruna disclosed this to newsmen in Ibadan at a send-forth party, organised for him by the staff and stakeholders of NAFDAC in the state.
According to him, the offences ranged from series of unregistered products, sales of outright fake products, parallel importation and unsatisfactory factory productions.
Haruna said that the agency will not relent in its effort to combat unwholesome and fake products.
He said he would now be heading the agency’s directorate of chemical, cosmetics and medical devices in Lagos.
“During the six years that I was the state coordinator, in the regulatory work we have penalised not less than 1,000 people for offences stipulated by the agency,” he said.
He, however, said that the agency was still facing some challenges in the state.
“Non-compliance of the people was a problem, because most of them were not properly informed.
“People were buying products without NAFDAC registration numbers, they were doing it not because they wanted to do that, but they were not properly informed of the necessary things to do,” he said.
He said that the agency had established desk officers in each local government area of the state to ensure massive awareness, collaboration with necessary organisations and sanctioned people found culpable.
He urged his successor to be versatile, accommodating, very patient in dealing with stakeholders.
“I want to encourage my successor to have listening ears and encourage fellow staff and stakeholders,’’ he said.