The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut 16 herbal medicine facilities and seized products over illegal operations in Onitsha, Anambra.
This happened during a raid of illegal products facilities in Onitsha and neighbouring communities — Nkpor and Ogidi — by officials of the agency on Tuesday.
Dr Christiana Esenwa, a Deputy Director and Coordinator of the agency, disclosed to newsmen that the agency had sanctioned no fewer than 100 practitioners from January 2015 till date.
Esenwa said that the affected companies were sanctioned for illegal manufacturing, sales, hawking and unapproved advertisements. According to her, at a particular manufacturing facility, a lot of unregistered products were discovered.
She said that the agency was planning stiffer penalties against defaulters with an upward of the current N20,000 administrative charge, to deter illegal practitioners from operating without the agency’s approval.
She went on to say that the defaulters with manufacturing outfits will be enlightened on how best to manufacture products that are safe for consumption.
Esenwa, however, said the raid and seizures were not punitive or meant to chase practitioners out of business but to make them appreciate the importance of due process in their respective businesses.
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