The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced that the Ogbo Ogwu Market at Bridgehead, Onitsha, was reopened on March 7 following a shutdown for comprehensive sanitisation.
The NAFDAC Director for the Southeast, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, reiterated this in an interview with newsmen on Monday.
Recall that NAFDAC had closed the market for one month, from February 10 to March 7, to rid the place of fake, counterfeit, unregistered, and banned drugs.
Iluyomade explained that there were administrative conditions every shop owner had to fulfil before their shops, previously sealed during the operation, could be unsealed.
He said that the process was put in place to prevent the recurrence of the issues that led to the market’s closure. He also highlighted that pharmaceuticals were highly regulated due to their impact on public health and national security, adding that NAFDAC’s mandate, under the NAFDAC Act, was to regulate and control the sales and distribution of drugs.
Iluyomade further clarified that the market had not been closed, contrary to reports from some media outlets. He said that the process underway was focused on documenting and regularising the shops, ensuring that no shop would be unsealed without completing the necessary clearance procedures.
He added that the agency had set up a special desk to facilitate this process.
Iluyomade, while noting that the agency was not aware of any internal conflicts within the market, acknowledged the market leadership and the Anambra state government for their cooperation and understanding.
