Connect with us

Health

JUST IN: NAFDAC shutdowns cemetery market Aba Home of fake Milo, Cadbury, Miksi others

Published

on

70 Views

NAFDAC says it has cleaned up and shutdown the Cemetery market Aba regarded as the most dreaded and hitherto safe haven for the largest cartel ring for the manufacture of fake wines and beverages in Africa.

NAFDAC also confiscated adulterated wines, fake food and beverages valued at over N5 billion.

Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, the NAFDAC Director-General , said in a press release today .

The statement reads: ” The current action of NAFDAC is the most audacious since the history of the market with specific zones barricaded with iron welding and access gates locked till date.

The operation carried out in conjunction with a large contingency of the military, DSS and Nigeria Police, in a rare display of inter-agency cooperation, was a follow up to a similar raid that was carried out in December 2023.

Some of the nefarious activities of the counterfeiters included the manufacturing of all kinds of adulterated products especially different kinds of wine from a wide variety of brands ranging from the following: ·      Seaman Schnapps,

Henessy,

Four Cousins ·     

Carlo Rossi,

Jenney,

Chelsea London Dry Gin ·     

Schnapp Dry Gin,

McDowells, Black Labels ·     

Gordons,

Martell, Campari, Smirnoff ice ·     

Eva Non-Alcoholic Drink,

Evra Non-Alcoholic Drink, Cartel and others.

As a consequence of the extensive operation, the agency raided over 240 shops turned factories where the harmful products were being produced and marketed.

The shops turned factories are very filthy, using water from very unhygienic sources, harmful chemicals, saccharin, colouring, dirty recycled bottles and cloned packaging materials of other brands.

The adulteration of alcoholic beverages by criminal elements in the country is done by mixing of cheaper sources of sugar and starch besides grapes or fruit, among other harmful chemicals unsuitable for human consumption.

Over 1500 cartons of the fake and substandard products were destroyed during the operation.

The street value of the confiscated and destroyed fake products in 2023 is estimated at over seven hundred and fifty million naira only. (N750,000,000).

The estimated value of products mopped up during the December 15, 2024, operation is five billion naira.

The products being revalidated and mopped up include: ·     

Soft and carbonated drinks such as Fanta, Coca Cola ·     

Schweppes, Lacasera, Sprite, Hollandia Yoghurt ·     

Super Commando Energy Drink, Feyrouz and Amstel Malta. Aside from drinks, notable fake home use beverages such as: ·     

Peak Sachet Milk, Cowbell Sachet Milk, Peak Chocolate Drink ·     

Miksi Sachet Milk, Cadbury Chocolate Drink and Ovaltine adulterated versions.

Prior to the evacuation of the products by NAFDAC, they were being produced in the market and neatly packaged and sold to unsuspecting consumers.

NAFDAC management appreciates the support from the Government of Abia State led by His Excellency Governor Alex Otti for his unwavering support for this project OPERATION CLEAN UP ABA.

The Mayor of Aba south and the interim management committee of the market and other stakeholders have been working assiduously with NAFDAC on the project leading to another discovery of three major warehouses stockpiling expired HOLLANDIA YOGHURT for revalidation on the 22nd of January 2025.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Health

UK doctors on five-day strike, shun PM’s plea

Starmer on Friday appealed to the doctors, saying patients were being put at risk and the strikes would “cause real damage”.

(AFP)

Published

on

By

37 Views

• Uk doctors on strike / AFP

Thousands of UK doctors launched a five-day strike early Friday after talks with the Labour government for a new pay increase failed to reach a deal.

Doctors were out on picket lines outside hospitals after negotiations with the government went down the wire late Thursday, without reaching an accord.

The move comes after the doctors accepted a pay rise offer totalling 22.3 per cent over two years in September, soon after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party took power.

Resident doctors — those below consultant level — have said they felt they had “no choice” but to strike again to reverse “pay erosion” since 2008.

Starmer on Friday appealed to the doctors, saying patients were being put at risk and the strikes would “cause real damage”.

Launching a strike “will mean everyone loses,” Starmer wrote in the Times, highlighting the added strain it would put on the already struggling National Health Service (NHS).

He appealed to the doctors not to “follow” their union, the British Medical Association (BMA) “down this damaging road.

“Our NHS and your patients need you, ” Starmer warned.” Lives will be blighted by this decision,” Starmer warned.

Continue Reading

Health

ODODO RESTORES MEDICINE PROGRAMME AT PAAU ANYIGBA AFTER A DECADE

Upon assuming office in 2024, Governor Ododo directed a fresh review of the requirements for restoring the MBBS programme and gave immediate approval for the provision of outstanding facilities.

Published

on

By

51 Views

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted full re-accreditation for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme at the Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, following a 10-year suspension.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lokoja on Thursday by the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams.

He described the approval as a landmark achievement driven by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s commitment to revitalising healthcare and medical education in the state.

Dr. Adams recalled that the MBBS programme was originally accredited and commenced in 2012 at the then Kogi State University, but the accreditation was withdrawn in 2015 after a resource verification exercise by the NUC revealed the absence of key infrastructure and academic requirements.

He noted that the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello, upon assuming office in 2016, swiftly intervened by approving full scholarships and facilitating the transfer of affected third-year medical students to other institutions. “Today, over 90% of those students have successfully graduated,” he said.

Alh. Yahaya Bello also approved the construction of a state-of-the-art clinical complex at the university, which has since been completed and put to use.

In addition, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Marietu Tenuche, was mandated to commence all basic sciences and allied health programmes required to support a robust MBBS curriculum—an instruction that has since been carried out.

Upon assuming office in 2024, Governor Ododo directed a fresh review of the requirements for restoring the MBBS programme and gave immediate approval for the provision of outstanding facilities.

These included a multi-purpose medical students’ teaching laboratory, lecture halls, a library, consultant offices, and student hostels.

“These projects received prompt approval from His Excellency, and I personally represented him at the official handing-over of project sites to contractors,” Dr. Adams stated, noting that construction work began immediately and is now at an advanced stage.

Following the infrastructural and academic upgrades, the university invited the NUC for a fresh round of resource verification.

Based on the successful outcome of the exercise, the commission has now granted approval for the full re-establishment of the MBBS programme at the university.

“This is a major milestone—ten years after the initial withdrawal—and it signals a new era of medical training in Kogi State,” the statement read.

Dr. Adams described the development as part of Governor Ododo’s holistic strategy to expand the state’s healthcare workforce.

He highlighted other strategic investments in medical and health education across the state, including the College of Nursing in Obangede, the College of Health Sciences in Idah, the College of Medical Sciences at CUSTECH, Osara, and now, the fully restored College of Medical Sciences at PAAU, Anyigba.“Governor Ododo’s commitment to healthcare is not in words, but in action.

These projects are not just about infrastructure—they are about the future of healthcare delivery in Kogi State,” he said.

Dr. Adams concluded by expressing gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the initiative, and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to completing all ongoing infrastructure projects supporting the MBBS programme.

Also reacting to the development, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, described the re-accreditation as another promise kept.

“During his campaign, Governor Ododo promised to ensure the return of the MBBS programme to Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba. Today, he has fulfilled that promise. He continues to make difficult tasks look simple with his results-driven style of leadership.

This is a remarkable demonstration of an unyielding commitment to improving healthcare resources in the state,” Fanwo stated.

Continue Reading

Health

BREAKING: Medical practitioners vow to begin nationwide strike on Thursday

Published

on

65 Views

As the 21-day ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government draws to a close on July 23, the Nigerian Medical Association has warned it will ground medical services nationwide if the government fails to meet its demands.

Its President, Prof Bala Audu, who confirmed thison Sunday, noted that the association was prepared to take decisive action should the government fail to respond adequately to its demands.

Prof Audu stressed that the association’s demands were critical to the survival of Nigeria’s healthcare system and the welfare of medical professionals across the country.

The NMA had, on July 2, issued an ultimatum in protest against a circular from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission on revised allowances for medical and dental officers in the federal public service, which the doctors kicked against for violating prior agreements.

The association issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to withdraw the circular and meet its other demands to avert industrial action in the health sector.

“We have made our position clear. The ultimatum ends on July 23, and if the Federal Government does not address our demands, we may have no choice but to proceed with a strike,” he said.

According to him, the circular contains provisions that were not mutually agreed upon and which undermine the remuneration and welfare of medical professionals.

“We have rejected that circular outright. We expect that any new directive affecting our members should be the outcome of mutual consultation, not something imposed,” he stated.

Prof Audu disclosed that the NMA had been engaging with the Federal Government to avert a crisis.

“The last meeting happened two weeks ago and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate; the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako; the Permanent Secretary, the Director of Hospital Services, and the representative of minister of labour were at the meeting, and some affiliate of the NMA were present, and I was part of that meeting as well.

“However, he felt that we should go for a further meeting, and another meeting was slated for last week, unfortunately, in the week, we lost the former President Muhammadu Buhari, so the meeting couldn’t be held.

“However, the next meeting is supposed to happen between us, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, which issued a circular that we feel is obnoxious, and we have rejected it. We would also meet with the Ministry of Finance and representatives from the Ministry of Health,” he added.

The NMA president expressed concern that time was running out, adding that unless the meeting was held within the next few days, the association may be left with no other alternative but industrial action.

“We expect that after the funeral ceremonies, government stakeholders will reconvene with us, hopefully by Monday. Otherwise, the 21-day ultimatum still stands.

“If the government fails to prioritise this matter, a strike may be inevitable,” he added.

The Katsina State NMA branch, in a communique issued after its State Executive Council meeting, expressed “grave disappointment” and “unequivocal condemnation” over the circular.

The meeting, held in Katsina, on Saturday, noted that “NMA Katsina State branch hereby rejects National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s (NSIWC) circular (SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646) dated 27th June, 2025 on review of allowances for medical/dental officers in the federal public service and demands urgent government withdrawal action and fulfillment of all the demands.

”The communique, made available to newsmen on Sunday, was jointly signed by the Chairman, NMA Katsina, Dr Muhammadu Sani and Secretary, Dr Yahya Salisu.

The association warned that it could not guarantee non-disruption of health services if their demands were not met.

Continue Reading

Trending