Starrays
By Moses Agbe -(NASS Abuja)The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Hon Uchenna Harris Okonkwo has restated the Committee’s commitment towards protecting the lives of Nigerians from fake drug practitioners as well as enhancing drug regulatory activities in the country.
Hon Uchenna Okonkwo who stood in for the NAFDAC Committee Chairperson, Hon Regina Akume made this observation during an interactive session with newsmen shortly after a meeting with several regulatory agencies in the National Complex, Abuja recently. According to Hon Okonkwo:
”We had a very useful interaction with several regulatory agencies like the Optometrist and Dispensing Opticians Board of Nigeria, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, the Dental Council of Nigeria amongst others.
“ln all we received about nine regulatory bodies today and they came to intimate the House Committee on their 2023 activities and what they hope to do in 2024.
“The major responsibility of our Committee is to ensure that we do everything possible to protect the lives of Nigerians and also to ensure that the livelihoods of the professionals in the health sector are duly enhanced.
“We also discussed a range of issues and explored ways that the legislature can intervene to advance the aims and objectives of the regulatory bodies”.
On the NAFDAC ban on alcohol sold in sachets and pet bottles, Hon Okonkwo stated that:
”Last month before we went on recess, the House resolved that the NAFDAC ban on alcohol sold in sachets and pet bottles be lifted immediately as the economic situation in the country is not conducive for such a ban and the House resolution has been relayed accordingly to the appropriate agency which is NAFDAC. And we hope that the resolution has been fully implemented as directed by the House.” he explained.
Earlier, the Chairperson of the House Committee, Her Excellency, Rep. Regina Akume, the wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (AGF), Sen. George Akume, in her welcome address thanked all the stakeholders for honouring their invitation and welcome all the Committee Members from the recess; while assuring the critical stakeholders and the agencies of the Committee’s resolved to support them realize the objectives of their individual mandates. She stressed that the Committee is committed to the actualization of the vision and mission of the 10th House of Representatives and the Honourable Speaker, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, which is addressing Nigeria and Nigerians’ interest.
The Chairperson, Rep. Akume also harps on the determination of the Committee and the House to create an enabling environment for the agencies to key into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda inorder to uplift the living standard of Nigerians, given the hardship.
She had given the opportunity at the beginning of her address to all Stakeholders and Honourable Members for self-introduction before the Committee went into executive session.
