The House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drug Administration and Control has called for the prioritization of establishing Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) across the country to provide safer, regulated environments for drug storage and trade.
Deputy Committee Chairman, Hon. Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, proposed that the committee actively monitor the development of these centres to ensure they meet modern standards.
This came as the committee directed the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to submit a detailed report of all fines collected during its recent crackdown on open drug markets in Nigeria.
Okonkwo gave the order during a session where NAFDAC’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, was represented by Pharm Shaba Mohammed, Director of Investigation and Enforcement, and Dr. Lyon Obi Martins, Director South East.
The committee also called for updates on drug kingpins said to be undermining regulatory efforts, pledging to work with security agencies to ensure their arrest and prosecution.
Defending the agency’s actions, Shaba Mohammed stated that open drug markets are illegal under Nigerian law and pose serious health risks.
He explained that the extensive operation prompted by local and international concerns, including World Health Organization (WHO) alerts involved over 1,200 security personnel and extended from one week to four due to the scale of violations.
