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This suggestion was made recently during a courtesy visit by
NAFDAC management, led by its Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, to NCTC
headquarters in Abuja at the request of the latter in order to deepen the
already strong working relationship.
‘’The purpose of the visit is to strengthen the working
partnership between the two agencies which have similar interests including but
not limited to the fight against drug abuse, chemical misuse and alcoholism
which have been traced as major contributors to acts of terrorism’’, said Prof
Adeyeye as she expressed her agency’s readiness to work with the Centre to
achieve a common goal.
The NAFDAC boss who noted that the collaboration was very
positive recalled how she was told about a year into her first tenure as DG by
someone in a privileged position in the society that there was an abuse of
Tramadol.
She said her Agency is now using what is called ‘’Track and
Trace’’, using the Traceability tool. NAFDAC has so far been recognized as the
leading Agency in Africa in terms of use of barcoding to trace where the
medicine goes from the manufacturer to the end user.
Exuding self-confidence in the system, she said ‘’unless the
user is not on planet earth, we can trace it. We have global positioning
systems that can pinpoint the medicine to the nearest location’’.
Adeyeye, in a statement made available by the Resident Media
Consultant to NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola on Sunday, pointed out that this is so
important because the use of narcotics can alter the minds of its users and can
lead to extremism, terrorism, loss of lives and loss of livelihood.
While congratulating the National Coordinator of NCTC for
the monumental achievement in building this new Centre, she said ‘’to me, this
shows commitment to integration’’, noting that silos mentality was what we were
doing or sometimes we still do it. We cannot work in silos. It is when we work
together, that we bring agencies of government together and we get a lot of
results.
She pledged that the collaboration is guaranteed in terms of
NAFDAC’s commitment and for this Centre in terms of research. She further added
that, we can only do research in collaboration with other agencies or the
academia which has been a major contributor to the growth of NAFDAC to higher
grounds
“This new Centre to me shows integration, noting that she
instituted focus groups in NAFDAC ‘’because silo mentality was what we were
doing or sometimes we still do it. We cannot work in silos. It is when we work
together, we bring agencies of government together that we get a lot of
results.
She pledged that the collaboration is guaranteed in terms of
NAFDAC and this Centre in terms of research, adding that ‘’we can only do
research in collaboration with other agencies or the academia. The growth of
NAFDAC is leading us to higher grounds.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of NCTC, Rear Admiral
Yaminu Musa explained that the essence of the partnership is to draw up the
modalities of partnership between the two agencies, stressing that ‘’It’s only
when we partner with you, that you become aware that things we can do on your
behalf then we can be called useful’’.
According to him, the two agencies had some engagements in
the past and some decisions were taken, asking rhetorically to what extent have
the decisions been implemented and what are the factors mitigating against
implementation of those not implemented that we can review because we are
starting a new race.
He further said, this is the right time for the two agencies
to review previous activities and be able to re-strategize and inform the new
government on areas that needed further push whether it is policy push or
strategy categorization of plans.
Rear Admiral Yaminu Musa added, If we do it now and we do it
right we will be setting the new government on that pedestal to understand us
better and for us to be able to deliver more for the government.
He gave the history of the centre which started as a
directorate under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and now established
as the National Counter Terrorism Centre. He highlighted the milestones of the
“Centre” and recognised NAFDAC as a formidable stakeholder in the centre’s
evolution and development of some of its policies in addressing some issues of
insecurity in the country.
He enthused that the centre intends to partner with
research-based institutions like NAFDAC in many areas and access global support
to be domiciled at relevant institutions that require it for the purpose of
operational use, training purpose, and research, including equipment.
The meeting also discussed issues on how importation could
be controlled, the necessary agencies to pass through when importing and the
documents to be obtained before importation could be deemed to be lawful.
He disclosed that his Centre held strategy meetings with
other agencies of government, noting that this is the first we are having it at
the level of the two heads of government agencies.
In a related development, officials of NAFDAC busted
peddlers of unauthorized chemicals in Lagos where a good number of arrests were
made.
‘’If it is restricted chemical, we have got to monitor it
when it comes in; when moving it from one place to another NAFDAC also monitors
that transfer because chemicals can be used to do many bad things,’’ said Prof
Adeyeye. She added that some of them are precursors to narcotics while some of
them may be precursors to making bombs.
She said NAFDAC is very stringent on regulation of chemicals
to protect the nation, adding that we are very stringent on regulatory
management of chemicals which include inspection, testing and approval and post
approval surveillance.
‘’The fact that we have given someone license does not mean
we have to fold our arms. We have to keep checking to make sure that they are
still abiding by regulations.
As chemicals are essential for our use Prof Adeyeye noted
that they are also delicate and dangerous, adding that this is why it must be
ensured that only genuine chemicals are available and are properly handled,
stored, and managed.
‘’This is why NAFDAC ensures that it employs the strategy of
inspection, investigation and enforcement, post marketing surveillance as well
as sensitization to curb the activities of erring manufacturers and peddlers of
unapproved chemical products who either deliberately circumvent the agency to
sell unwholesome regulated products to the public or due to ignorance or lack
of sensitization do not toe the lawful path in dealing in NAFDAC regulated
products’’.
She said chemical, drug or food manufacturers are encouraged
to join an association. She emphasized that they are not forced to join a
particular association.
She urged them to join trade associations so that when the
Agency is disseminating information the association will be able to distribute
it amongst its members, noting that It’s easier to control when there is an
association.
‘’Though we don’t insist that client should join a
particular association, but they need to be part of one. Chemical manufacturers
have an association and we have had a couple of stakeholders meetings. The
importance of chemicals is underscored at this meeting and the importance of
doing things right is important at that meeting’’.
She insisted that whether it’s restricted or unrestricted
chemical, the Agency must carry out inspection of the warehouse, issue port
permit and assess the storage condition because the temperature can be harsh,
noting that what may not break down in one year, if put it in a tropical
environment, it will break down in six months or less.
‘’We have to keep checking to make sure that they are still
abiding with regulations,’ she said.