Reps C’ttee kick as NAFDAC ignores sachet alcohol resolution

The House of Representatives Committee on National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has frowned at failure of NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, to implement its resolution on sachet alcohol.

The House said the action of NAFDAC management was disrespect to the Parliament.

The Vice-Chairman of the committee, Rep. Uchenna Okonkwo, said at a news conference on Friday in Abuja that the agency was duly served with the resolution.

He said to the greatest surprise of the committee, no action had been taken to implement the resolution.

“The agency had failed to comply with the directives, two months after it was passed.

“You need not be told that the parliament is the centre piece of our democracy.

“If the Nigerian parliament that is the fulcrum and giant of African democracy is abused in this manner, the future of not only Nigeria, but African democracy is also doomed,” Okonkwo said.

He said the committee regretted the sudden deteriorating mutual relationship between the agency and the parliament, which according to him is counter-productive to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“We view the Director-General’s action as a direct affront on the rule of law and the people’s parliament.

“If this display of impunity is allowed to go through, it will set a dangerous precedent for future abuse and disregard for legislative directives,’’ he said.

The committee chairman also claimed that the NAFDAC boss’s action clearly suggested insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians.

NEWSVERG reports that the House had on March 21 adopted a motion sequel to the consideration of the committee on NAFDAC to suspend the ban imposed by the agency on sachet alcohol and less than 200ml pet bottle.

The House directed that the ban be lifted because of the wrong timing and unstable state of the economy where unemployment rate is staggering and the inflation rate is soaring.

Okonkwo said the action was also informed by the paucity of FOREX at the time.