Corrupt Practices: Group Petitions EFCC over ex-NAFDAC DG, Orhi

Corrupt Practices: Group Petitions EFCC over ex-NAFDAC DG, Orhi

An anti-corruption coalition, Civil Society Network against Corruption (CSNAC), has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to urgently investigate and prosecute the immediate past Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhi, over allegations of corruption and illegal registration of fake drugs.

In a petition addressed to the office of the acting chairman of the anti-graft agency, the coalition, through its Chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, said it is expecting that the petition would necessitate prompt investigation into the allegations and also effect immediate reversal of fraudulent certification by the agency.

According to petition, "We are in receipt of an insider petition, detailing several allegations against the immediate past Director–General of NAFDAC, Orhii. He was accused of allegedly recertifying blacklisted Asian companies, reversing ban of some drugs and allowing dangerous drugs into the country for pecuniary gains and subject to financial inducements."

The petition stated that during the tenure of late Professor Dora Akunyili as Director General of the agency, an assessment was conducted on all the pharmaceutical companies importing drugs into the country, and based on outcomes of the assessment, some Asian countries were blacklisted for their records and penchant for producing substandard or outright fake drugs/products.

"On assumption of duty as D.G, Orhii recertified some of them and reallocated previously withdrawn NAFDAC registration numbers. The implication of this is that even if a drug/product carries a NAFDAC number, it is not a guarantee that it is genuine. Registration and recertification of drugs are now done indiscriminately.

"Some of the allegedly blacklisted companies that were brought back by Orhii are: KAMALA Overseas Bombay 400002 India, MISSION Pharmaceuticals Limited India, PLIVA Pakistan (PVT) Limited and

MILAN Laboratories India," the coalition said.

Furthermore, the petition also stated that the former D G allegedly reversed the ban on ‘Monotherapy Artesunate’, an anti-malaria treatment which has been banned worldwide by World Health Organisation (WHO).

"Some of the companies he permitted to bring the drugs to Nigeria are

CUS Pharmacy which brings CUSNATE

NEROS Pharmacy-Artesunate

GENEITH Pharmacy

Embassy Pharma Limited," it alleged.