From Lateef Taiwo
The House of Representatives Committee on National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has accused the Director General of the agency, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye of high headedness alleging that the agency has deliberately refused to enforce it directives to immediately suspend the ban on sachet alcohol among other items as directed by the lawmakers.
Speaking in a News Conference on Friday , in Abuja, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Regina Akume explained that the action of DG NAFDAC is tantamount to out right disregard to the rule of law from the parliament.
The lawmaker further lamented that several appeals and entreaties made by the committee to enable the NAFDAC DG obey what they call ‘ simple directive’ from the parliament yielded no positive result stressing that the action and inaction of NAFDAC DG if not properly manage is capable of throwing the entire country into chaos and anarchy.
The Committee however, recalled that the House of Representatives in a resolution entitled: NASS/CNA/35/VOL4/100, dated 21st March, 2024 in consideration of report of the Committee on NAFDAC on the need to suspend the ban it has imposed on the sachet alcohol and less than 200ML pet bottles directed that the ban should be suspended because of wrong timing as well as prevailing economic circumstances in the country.
The lawmakers in the Committee had unilaterally agreed to urge NAFDAC to suspend it order owing to lack of unemployment and the general state of the economy.
According to the Committee:’ “unemployment rate is staggering and inflation rate is soaring, while the poverty level is on the increase with paucity of FOREX to do business.”
Responding to questions filed in by reporters at the event as to whether the agency have been contacted explain:
“The agency in question was duly served with the resolution, but to our greatest surprise, no action has been taken to implement the resolution and comply with the directives, two months after it was passed.
“You need not to be told that the parliament is the center 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 African democracy will be doomed.
“The Committee regrets the sudden deteriorating mutual relationship between the agency and the parliament, which is counter productive to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.We view the Director General’s action as a direct affront to the rule of law and the people’s parliament.
“If this display of impunity is allowed to go through, it will set a dangerous precedence for future abuse and disregard for legislative directives and set a pace for undermining our hard earned democracy.”
In another development, a member of the committee who spoke through the condition of anonymity alleged that NAFDAC boss has repeatedly ignored the invitation of the parliament claiming that her husband is a senator though not currently serving.
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