The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said it would be working with the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to combat the influx of dangerous drugs coming into the country.
Director, Ports Inspection Directorate of the Agency, Professor Samson Adebayo, said NAFDAC welcomed with open hands the partnership with ANLCA, in the campaign against fake drugs through the international borders, to safeguard the health of the nation.
Speaking while receiving members of ANLCA, western zone chapters, led by the zonal coordinator, Dr John Dan Katsina Ofobike, on a courtesy visit in his office, Adebayo said as regulators, NAFDAC officials are not police officers, but trained professionals to direct importers, exporters and custom brokers to be compliant and imbibe the ideals of international best practices.
He urged ANLCA to enlighten other members and especially their staff that mostly interfaced with NAFDAC, to always endeavour to follow laid down procedures and stop faking receipts, permits, certificates because ultimately, frustration will set in after delays and incurring of losses.
In his earlier address, the western zone chapter’s coordinator, Dr. John Ofobike, said to facilitate the execution of the agency’s mandate in the ports, ANLCA will like to partner with NAFDAC to checkmate the inflow of illegal drugs and unwholesome substances into Nigeria.
He also enumerated some operational challenges encountered by its members when interfacing with NAFDAC officials/offices, in the course of delivering cargoes to their clients.
He stated that: “The traffic challenge in the course of interacting with your offices in processing documentations, is taking its toll on the health and finances of our members. We will appreciate the automation of first and second stampings, before customs releases.
“Our members will also appreciate a reduction of the costs involved in processing documentation and, the automation of the payment of statutory fees processes.”
