…the Onitsha drugs market has been closed for months following a NAFDAC operation.
The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has demanded that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) refund over N3 billion allegedly collected from traders at the Onitsha Drug Market, iNews Times reports.
The Onitsha drugs market has been closed for months following an operation by the agency.
According to Intersociety, between 3,500 and 3,800 traders were forced to pay N700,000 each as a condition for reopening the market.
The organization is demanding a full refund with 20% interest.
Intersociety claims that NAFDAC’s actions constitute extortion and that the agency has introduced three categories of fees.
These include a “Poor Storage Fee” of N700,000 for market store owners and a separate “Poor Storage Fee” of N200,000 for every packing store owner at the Market.
Additionally, there’s a N200,000 charge for each multinational drug or product and its wholesaler.
The organization stated that it has submitted several public interest petitions and media statements to NAFDAC, which have been ignored.
Intersociety stands in solidarity with genuine drug traders, comprising about 90% of the market, and condemns those trading in expired, counterfeit, substandard, and fake drugs.
The Onitsha Drugs Market, with approximately 14,000 people, including business owners, apprentices, salesgirls, and hawkers, is a significant economic hub.
The agency’s actions have sparked controversy, and the agency’s response to the refund demand is awaited.
