The House of Representatives Committee on the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has frowned at the agency’s director-general, Mojisola Adeyeye’s failure to implement its resolution on sachet alcohol.
The House said the action taken by NAFDAC management was disrespectful to the parliament.
The committee’s vice-chairman, Uchenna Okonkwo, said at a news conference on Friday in Abuja that the agency was duly served with the resolution.
He said that, to the committee’s greatest surprise, no action had been taken to implement the resolution.
“The agency had failed to comply with the directives two months after it was passed; you need not be told that the parliament is the centre-piece of our democracy.
“If the Nigerian parliament, which is the fulcrum and giant of African democracy, is abused in this manner, the future of not only Nigeria but also African democracy is doomed,” Mr Okonkwo said.
He said the committee regretted the sudden deteriorating mutual relationship between the agency and the parliament, which, according to him, is counter-productive to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“We view the director-general’s action as a direct affront to the rule of law and the people’s parliament.
“If this display of impunity is allowed to go through, it will set a dangerous precedent for future abuse and disregard for legislative directives,’’ he said.
The committee chairman also claimed that the NAFDAC boss’s action suggested insensitivity to the plights of Nigerians.
On March 21, the House adopted a motion sequel to the consideration of the committee on NAFDAC to suspend the ban imposed by the agency on sachet alcohol and less than 200ml pet bottles.
The House directed that the ban be lifted because of the ban’s wrong timing and the unstable state of the economy, which has a staggering unemployment rate and a soaring inflation rate.
Mr Okonkwo said the paucity of FOREX also informed the action at the time.
(NAN)
