NAFDAC SHUTS DOWN TWO CHEMICAL FIRMS IN EDO

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On Thursday, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) shut down two chemical shops in Benin for selling chemicals without the proper license and necessary safety precautions.

The businesses involved were Golden Juliros Nigeria Ltd., located on Evbiemwen Street, Off Wire Road, and Onebamchi Chemicals at Ramat Park Market.

The operation was carried out by officers from the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Unit in Asaba, along with staff from the Edo office in Benin.

Esther Itua, the Edo Coordinator for NAFDAC, stated that the two shops had been under surveillance for several years and had ignored repeated advice to register as authorized chemical dealers.

Itua said, “One of the statutory mandates of NAFDAC is to monitor and control the manufacture, distribution, sales, advert and use of regulated products including chemicals.

“For clients or people that want to deal in chemicals locally, there is what is called chemical listing. It is like a licence that is issued by the agency to those people who sell chemicals locally.

“Before that licence is issued, certain conditions must be met such as a registration as a company in Nigeria, warehouse to store the chemicals, staff, among other requirements,” she said.

The coordinator noted that the shops failed to perfect those conditions that could warrant the agency to inspect the facility.

“We have monitored that place for years, but waiting for when we will meet the owners. We have realised that Golden Juliros is one of the major chemical dealers in Edo.

We have been encouraging the owner to come for her chemical listing. It is renewable every two years.

“The facility is well located, but also operates without Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), particularly nose masks for staff,” she said.

The NAFDAC boss said task force from Asaba was involved because of the magnitude of the two facilities.