‘Reopen Onitsha Drug Mkt, Innocent Traders Are Suffering’, Ex-Lawmaker Urges NAFDAC
By: Chidi Yadiba, Onitsha.
Saddened by sufferings encountered by the majority of innocent traders at Onitsha Drug Market (Ogbogwu), Bridge-Head, Onitsha, and other adjoining smaller markets which were closed by NAFDAC recently, a former Federal lawmaker that represented Orumba North Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Okwudili Ezenwankwo (Ewepudike) has made a passionate appeal to National Agency For Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to consider the plight of innocent traders at the drug market.
The blanket closure by NAFDAC affected plumbing materials dealers, provisions market, Surgical dealers, and other innocent artisans within the market vicinity, adding that with the closure of the entire market, innocent Nigerians have been forced to suffer for the sins of a few greedy traders.
Hon. Ezenwankwo who addressed the press yesterday in Onitsha asserted that the actions of NAFDAC in sanitizing the society of fake and counterfeit drugs were commendable, but, he however, stated that the matter has been taken too far as innocent traders were suffering as a result of NAFDAC’s action “of throwing away the baby with the dirty water”.
The former lawmaker maintained that the Federal Government agency should consider innocent Nigerians, their families, and other dependents in view of the present worrisome economic situation of the country.
He called on NAFDAC to do everything within its power to fish out the real culprits and necessary punishment meted out to them in line with the provisions of the law, adding that allowing innocent Nigerians to suffer for the sins of a greedy few was detrimental.
“While I commend NAFDAC for its swift intervention aimed at curbing the circulation of counterfeit drugs, I urge the agency to ensure that innocent traders are not subjected to unnecessary sufferings due to activities of a few lawless traders.”
“Ewepudike,” as he is fondly called, added that a necessary approach should be sought towards fishing out the real culprits rather than imposing collective punitive measures on law-abiding business owners.
The former President -General, of Amalgamated Markets Traders Association of Anambra State (AMATAS), former PG, of South East Amalgamated Traders Association (SEAMATA), and later Acting President -General, of Amalgamated Market Traders of Nigeria, however, appealed to the Federal Government and NAFDAC to reconsider their present action and consider the economic plight of affected innocent traders who are presently suffering because of the sins of others and reopen the market
He further called on NAFDAC to institute a high-powered investigation and punish indicted culprits in line with the stipulated laws of the land.
