Reps Ask FG To Review Border Closure To Check Influx Of Fake, Substandard Drugs
The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to rescind its decision to keep the nation’s borders shut.
Minority Leader of the house, Ndudi Elumelu made the call Wednesday plenary while moving a motion on the need for the assembly to check the rising influx of fake and substandard drugs in the country.
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Recall that Buhari had in August 2019 ordered for the closure of the country’s borders, blaming it on the activities of smugglers.
According to Elumelu, the call was to allow the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to resume their duties at the ports and borders.
He decried the rate of deaths related to substandard drugs.
While NAFDAC is saddled with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and packaged water in Nigeria, SON is in charge of all the products, processes and scientific study of measurement standards in Nigeria.
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Contributing on the motion, Representative Toby Okechukwu noted that SON being hindered from accessing the ports contradicts their legal backing, and called on the relevant house committees to investigate the working operations that led to the rise in substandard drugs in the Nigerian market.
Responding, Speaker of the house, Femi Gbajabiamila said the section of the law Rep. Okechukwu was referring to only gives the right to access the ports and not reside permanently there.
The motion was thereafter voted on and adopted.
