The Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii has described the NAFDAC Consumers’ Safety Club (NCSC) as an initiative by the agency aimed at inculcating the right virtues into Nigerian youths and make them agents of positive change.
The Director General stated this in Calabar during the annual award giving ceremony for Senior and Junior Secondary Schools in Cross River State who excelled in NCSC NAFDAC organized competition.
The NAFDAC boss who was represented by NAFDAC Coordinator in Cross River State, Pharm. Isaac Kolawole said that students’ activities have revolutionized nations and this has been the driving force for NAFDAC to continue to promote the activities of NCSC despite the huge resources invested.
“We can only build a new Nigeria by equipping our youths who are the future of this great Nation with the right virtues”.
“NAFDAC Consumer Safety Club (NCSC) is therefore promoted as a platform for affecting behavioural change through enlightenment among the populace at a particular age group where they are expected to imbibe the culture of quality and propagate this value to their peers, family and the general public”.
He further said that the phenomenon of circulation of fake products which has posed the greatest challenge to NAFDAC informed the decision of the agency to “catch them young”, adding that a baseline survey by Pharmaco-Vigilance and Post Marketing (PV/PMS) Directorate on NCSC in 2012 to measure the knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of 1,238 students in Secondary Schools in Nigeria for both members and non-members of NCSC. The KAP of the students after 10 years of intensive enlightenment campaign showed that over 70% of the students know the activities of NAFDAC.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the agency towards promoting NCSC activities as part of their cooperate social responsibility by organizing the annual competition/award in state, zonal and national levels.
The schools that won the prizes in senior category are Federal Government Girls College Calabar; represented by Nwokwu Onyinyechi Ogechi, Govt. Secondary School, Uwase represented by Joshua Udoabung and Chaitali Jongaonkar of Surefoot International School, Calabar who came first, second and third positions respectively.
In the junior category, Godwin Ezekiel of Christian High School took the first position while Udofia Sunday of Access High School emerged second and the third position went to Fortunate Ibuchi of Federal Govt. Gir1 College, Calabar.
The NAFDAC coordinator in Cross River State, Pharm. Isaac Kolawale congratulated the winners and called on well meaning Nigerians and organizations to assist NAFDAC in sponsoring the completion.
The school proprietors and representatives that were present praised NAFDAC for sustaining the NCSC programme over the years while pledging their schools’ support and willingness to spread the NAFDAC’s message. ###
