By Hasan Zaggi
The Director General (DG), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Moji Adeyeye, has insisted that quality of products that are being traded are important for sustenance of trade relations among countries.
She stated this at the 2nd Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference, in Lagos, insisting that “Without Quality Trade, the Pakistan-Africa Trade Development will be short lived”.
Adeyeye, therefore, assured of the preparedness of her agency to remain open in order to encourage collaboration between Nigeria and Pakistan.
According to her: “It has been a wonderful time of exchange of culture and most of us could feel the music and the dance which are universal, it is only the language that is left out of these three events of culture .
“So, this is an important event for Nigeria and Pakistan. When you talk of trade, you also talk of quality that is where the regulatory agencies come in. Without quality, trade will be short lived.
“What we did in NAFDAC is to create an office of trade and international relations because we do not want to leave trade out of our regulations.
“Regulatory agencies are supposed to be universal in terms of what they expect from their clients or stakeholders like you.
“The mandate of NAFDAC is to control and regulate importation, exportation, manufacture, and distribution.
“Other are advertisements, sales and use of seven regulated products that include drugs, medical devices, diagnostic, vaccines, foods, cosmetics, chemicals, packaged water and beverages.”
She noted that the federal government attaches importance to exchange of culture and regulatory ideas, explaining that NAFDAC welcomes trade, investors and they have created room for partnership in terms of pharmaceuticals and foods.
According to her, “we have improved our regulatory control over the last four years, and the WHO is recognising us for that because without strong regulatory agency there cannot be good trade.
“So all our Pakistani friends that are here you are most welcome, and in fact is a reciprocity of culture as our minister said this morning and this is part of what we have to watch tonight, understanding each other and that will foster trade.
Over 100 pulse companies participated at the event including pharmaceutical, paints and chemicals, Surgical instruments, beauty and cosmetics, leather products and accessories among many others.
