By Toyin Victor, ABUJA
Human rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has raised the alarm over the growing prevalence of counterfeit and substandard drugs and other consumer products in Nigeria, describing the situation as a serious failure of regulation.
Adeyanju said Nigerians are being exposed to dangerous products daily, particularly fake and substandard medicines, warning that the situation poses a grave threat to public health.
He expressed concern over reports of drugs being sold wholesale in the open and under the hot sun, saying no responsible government should expose citizens to such risks and expect mortality rates not to rise.
The human rights lawyer said the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, appears incapable of effectively curbing the proliferation of fake and substandard products.
He said similar concerns extend to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, and other regulatory agencies responsible for protecting Nigerians and ensuring that products in the market meet required safety standards.
Adeyanju therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove the Director-General of NAFDAC and the heads of other regulatory agencies, including SON, and appoint competent leadership capable of restoring effective regulation and enforcement.
He also urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard drugs and products and undertake a comprehensive review of the country’s regulatory system.
Adeyanju maintained that Nigerians cannot continue to pay with their lives for regulatory failure, urging the government to take decisive action to strengthen enforcement and protect citizens from dangerous and substandard products.