NAFDAC had in a statement signed by Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, it's Director-General of the Agency accused the companies whose officials were indicted in a BBC documentary on codeine addiction in Nigeria of failure to make a records of their importation and use of codeine available to its investigators.
Many Nigerians are obviously not happy with the shut down of operations of Emzor Pharmaceuticals Industry Limited and two other pharmaceutical firms over their alleged failure to cooperate with officials of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) saddled with investigation of their involvement in production of codeine based cough syrups.
NAFDAC had in a statement signed by Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, it's Director-General of the Agency accused the companies whose officials were indicted in a BBC documentary on codeine addiction in Nigeria of failure to make a records of their importation and use of codeine available to its investigators.
The agency said that the companies will remain closed until a full investigation on their use of codeine is carried out.
But going by their reactions on social media, many Nigerians think the action of the regulatory agency is counter-productive because of its likely effect on the workers.
They also argued that the action amounts to killing a fly with a sledgehammer.
@ebenzy_ “It is NAFDAC that should be shut down, not Emzor pharmaceutical. NAFDAC claim they didn't know about codeine abuse, then they've failed in their regulatory duty and if they claim they knew, then they are COMPLICIT in the abuse. In fact, it is their fault.
“The whole society is rife with adulterated products. You always have to pray that whatever you're buying is original. What is NAFDAC doing about? Go to fast food joints and eateries. Their food is produced under unsanitary environments, what is NAFDAC doing about it?
“Many Sachet waters contain dirt yet, they have NAFDAC approval. Even beverage manufacturers are now very careless with their products because nobody is complaining. Now, they are sealing up a company just because they want to impress. Who are they deceiving exactly?”
@Osi_Suave Why are we like this in Nigeria. Asides the cough syrup Emzor puts out dietary supplements, anti-malaria, antibiotics; haematinics, and analgesics. But let’s shut down the entire company to carry out an investigation. Putting thousands of jobs at risk.
@peekaymila Emzor is one of the biggest indigenous pharmaceutical firms in Nigeria. A rare gem that MUST be cherished. If Nigerians are abusing codeine, it's because government agencies have failed to control its use... not because Emzor produces it.
@eyiteeonline if the news of total shutdown of Bioraj, Emzor, and Peace Standard is true, then that shows how lazy NAFDAC is. Why shut down the whole production lines because of codeine. Do they even need to ban #codeine because of abuse? Why use a sledgehammer to kill flies?