•NAFDAC operatives
The leadership of Onitsha Bridgehead Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, popularly known as Ogbo-Ogwu, has dissociated itself from the recent protest staged by some traders of the market against the continuous closure of their shops by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control.
Some traders under the banner of Concerned and Genuine Members of Ogbo-Ogwu Drug Market had, on Tuesday, protested the continuous closure of their shops by NAFDAC, lamenting that the development has brought untold hardship and financial burdens upon them, reports Vanguard.
The aggrieved protesters who carried placards with different inscriptions marched round the market, claiming that no fewer than five traders have died and several others have been hospitalised due to depression and hunger caused by the closure of their shops.
They also alleged that NAFDAC is demanding N2 million from each person before they would reopen the market.
The closure of the market is a sequel to the one-month enforcement exercise carried out by NAFDAC to rid the place of fake, counterfeit, unregistered and banned drugs.
However, in their reaction, the leadership of the market, led by its Caretaker Chairman, Ndubuisi Chukwuleta, while addressing newsmen yesterday at the market, said those who protested against the NAFDAC enforcement exercise at the market are not genuine traders of the Ogbo-Ogwu drug market.
Flanked by other executive members of the market, Chukwuleta appealed to NAFDAC, the Federal Government and the Anambra State Government, the media and the public at large to disregard the protest, insisting that the market is not in support of the protest.
He alleged that the protesters were being sponsored by one Mr Ozoemenam to frustrate the effort of the market leadership in resolving the issue.
According to him, the claim by the protesters that NAFDAC was demanding N2 million before each shop would be reopened is false, adding that some fines were imposed for various infractions committed by any trader.
He said, “Those people who protested against NAFDAC activities in the market are not our members, and they are not traders in the market. The leadership of Ogbo-Ogwu Bridgehead Market dissociates from the protest; we are not part of the protest. We align with NAFDAC in their efforts to sanitise the market of fake and counterfeit drugs.
“NAFDAC has announced the reopening of the market, although most of the shops are still under lock and key. This is because they are waiting for proper profiling as early stated in an agreement between NAFDAC and the market leadership. The affected traders are expected to visit the NAFDAC office and clear themselves before getting the approval to reopen their shops.
“The profiling exercise is currently ongoing here in Onitsha, and we are getting it right. The NAFDAC raid is not new; it also happened in 2007 under late Prof. Dora Akunyili’s watch. What the agency is doing is in line with my leadership to keep Ogbo-Ogwu market free of fake and expired drugs, which Governor Chukwuma Soludo also preaches.
“As I speak to you now, even my shop is still under lock and key because I have yet to complete my profiling exercise, but those who have completed theirs have opened and started selling.
“Their claim that they are being asked to pay N2 million before reopening their shops is false. The true position is that there is a fine imposed for particular infractions as stated in NAFDAC laws, which they are aware of. If they find unregistered, banned or counterfeit products in your shop, as the case may be, there are fines for each offence. It is not new.
“The enforcement exercise was also carried out in Lagos, Aba and other places, and the traders there have been complying with the NAFDAC’s stipulated guidelines without any issue. We, as market leadership of Ogbo-Ogwu Bridgehead, Onitsha, therefore, once again dissociate from the protest, and we urged the public, particularly Onitsha residents, to disregard it and go about their lawful businesses.”
The chairman equally commended Governor Soludo and the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, for their fatherly and motherly roles in resolving the matter.
