NAFDAC abolishes hawking of drugs in Benue

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday banned hawking of drugs in Benue. State Coordinator of the agency, Mr. Ibrahim Anikoh, disclosed this in Makurdi when he received members of the Benue state Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Anikoh also said that the agency had banned the sale of unregistered local gin (Ogogoro) as a preventive mechanism aimed at preventing the re-occurrence of the Rivers and Ondo states disaster in other states.

Meanwhile, League of Idoma Professors, LIP, the second ethnic tribe in the state has sued for synergy between them and the newly established Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo to enable the institution attain its goal of excellence.

Speaking at a dinner organised in honour of the governing board of the institution by the immediate former Senate President, David Mark at Otukpo yesterday, chairman of the league, Professor Owoicho Akpa said the body would deploy its armoury to ensure that the varsity attains the status of a first class institution.

About 50 persons died in Rivers and Ode-Irele in Ondo State, which was attributed to the consumption of the locally brewed gin.

Methanol concentration above 1500-2000mg/L after consumption can easily lead to death in untreated patients. He regretted that a lot of illicit drugs were entering the country through the Nigerian/Cameroon borderline. The coordinator further disclosed that ladies were using some herbal drugs to commit adultery.

Earlier, in his address, Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel, Mr. Aloysius Umalo, pledged to support the agency in its effort to rid the country of fake drugs. Prof Akpa assured the governing board that the institution will not lack personnels as many medical doctors and other relevant professionals of Idoma extraction would be willing to come home to contribute their quota to make the institution attain its goals.

He praised Senator Mark for influencing the establishment of the institution in Idoma land during his life, saying the people will not live to forget the gesture.

Responding, the Chairman and Pro-Chancellor of the university, Ferdinand Agu thanked the Idoma professors for their desire to make the institution succeed as he said there was no point to have a varsity of excellence without committing it to excellence.

The Pro-Chancellor, who lamented the dropping of Nigerian universities from world ranking, promised to convene a meeting of brain of scholars to brainstorm on the way forward for the mew university.

He said the university would not become a victim of politics of host community, which makes it mandatory for a university to appoint its vice chancellor from its host community as the practice usually turn to destroy the ideal of scIn his remarks, the paramount ruler of Idoma nation, HRH, Agaba-Idu, Ekoyi Obekpa, who was represented at the occasion expressed profound gratitude to Sen Mark, saying he has got a good story to tell the ancestors whenever it is time for him to go to the great beyond.

Senator Mark, who was represented by his wife, Helen promised to give support to the institution when he is called upon.

Mark informed that the 600 hectares of land donated to the institution was done out of the passion the people have for it, adding that the people were ready to give more land whenever the need arise.