By Ovat Abeng
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has announced the reopening of the popular Ogbogwu drugs market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
NAFDAC Director, South-east zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade made the announcement on behalf of the agency’s Director General, Professor Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye shortly after a brief meeting with the state government officials led by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Ben Obidike, the market leaders and the media, held at the market premises on Thursday.
He said the agency agreed to reopen the market following the persistent intervention from the State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo and the agreement signed by the market leaders with NAFDAC not to go back to the sales of fake, expired and substandard products in the market.
He said that the market will reopen officially on Friday, March 7, 2025.
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While commending governor Soludo for his continue support in the fight against fake and expired drugs in Anambra and the country at large, Iluyomade noted that during the enforcement exercise that lasted for three weeks, the agency under his watch uncovered 50 loaded trucks of fake/expired drugs, large volume of narcotics capable of destabilizing the country and also a large number of drugs ban since 2007.
He said the reopening of the market will not stopped the continuous enforcement exercise, adding that a total of 4,000 shops are under sealed for various offences and that there will be reopened after a proper profiling.
He equally noted that the confiscated fake and expired drugs worth no less one trillion
He commended the leadership of the markets for working with them throughout the period of the operations.
In his brief remark, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Obidike, while appreciating the agency on behalf of the governor, urged the traders to respect the NAFDAC agreement.
