By Juliana Nwachukwu
The member representing Onitsha South 1 in Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Fred Ezenwa has pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Charles Soludo, to urgently intervene in the ongoing regulatory actions instituted by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at the Onitsha Drug Market.
Hon. Ezenwa expressed concern over the imposition of ₦700,000 fee per shop by NAFDAC as a condition for traders to reopen their businesses, describing the measure as harsh, punitive, and economically devastating.
The lawmaker said that on February 7, 2025, NAFDAC, accompanied by armed security agents, sealed the Ogbogwu Market in a bid to rid the market of counterfeit and substandard pharmaceutical products.
“Between February 8 and March 8, officials reportedly broke into and searched hundreds of shops. NAFDAC later claimed to have confiscated 50 trailer loads of counterfeit drugs, which led to the prolonged closure of the market.
“Originally, a reopening fee of ₦500,000 per shop was announced, but was later increased to ₦700,000 with approximately 5,000 shops and over 12,000 traders, the financial burden on the business community is staggering and unjustifiable.
“This prolonged market shutdown has crippled the local economy and inflicted immense suffering on thousands of law-abiding traders and their dependants.”
He lamented that about 20 traders have reportedly died from the stress and economic hardship caused by the closure, describing the situation as a humanitarian crisis in the making.
“The market is one of the major contributors to the state and national economy and most of its traders are duly registered taxpayers,’’ Hon. Ezenwa added.
He appealed to President Tinubu and Governor Soludo to launch a full investigation into NAFDAC’s enforcement activities at the market and demand accountability from the agency.
The lawmaker urged the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, to reconsider the imposition of the ₦700,000 levy, stressing that the extended closure on some shops due to non-compliance to the payment and seizure of goods have already constituted sufficient punishment on the traders.
“More than 85 percent of traders in Ogbogwu deal in legitimate pharmaceuticals. It is unjust to punish the entire market for the alleged actions of a few,” he stated.
He advised the traders to avoid the sale or distribution of counterfeit, illicit or substandard drugs while emphasizing on the grave threat they pose to human life.
He reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the economic rights and wellbeing of his constituents while calling for immediate government action to restore normalcy in the market.
*Nwachukwu is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *
