The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has enlisted the support of consumer safety clubs among Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State in the fight against fake products.
The agency stated this at the presentation of awards to students drawn from both public and private secondary Schools in the three senatorial districts of the state, who recently emerged winners in a competition organized by the agency.
Among the participating Schools, were, Uyo High School, Bright Stars model Secondary School Uyo, Federal Government Girls College Ikot Obio Itong, King Solomon Secondary school Uyo and State College Ikot Ekpene among others.
Presenting the awards to the winners at the occasion, the state Coordinator of NAFDAC in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Francis Item, said the awards were meant to solicit the support of students in secondary schools in the state agai nst fake drugs, adding that the campaign was to eradicate counterfeits and unwholesome products in the state, hence requested the support of all, including students in schools across the country.
Ifem, noted that the awareness was also meant to galvanize the students as advocates in campaigning to ensure that products were properly labeled, checking the expiring dates, particularly in their environments and communities.
He stated that NAFDAC’s staff strength in the state was not enough to effectively propagate, its campaigns and added that the absence of desk officers in local government areas, had further made necessary for the agency to initiate students members’ consumer safety clubs in various schools to create awareness. “What we are doing is like a vision of planting trees which is expected to grow and yield fruits in the long run” he noted.
He used the opportunity to decry the activities of manufacturers of fake products including drugs, cosmetics, and food substances, who he said were in the habit of not including the manufacturing dates of their products, adding that NAFDAC would continue to impose sanctions against those who violate guidelines which should include batch numbers and manufacturing dates of their products. ###
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