Your cover story of Sunday, June 27, titled, “Nigerians groan over poor services, unresolved complaints as regulatory agencies fail” is not only timely but a masterpiece.
My only concern is that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was not included in the report even though thousands of small and medium enterprises are also groaning and suffering because of its failure.
For instance, we, Khairiyya Integrated Services, are one of their victims.
We submitted our application to start bottled water business in April, 2020, but up till today our licence is not out to enable us to produce. All procedures and processes have been done and met by our company and promptly submitted. The expensive virtual inspections were conducted.
Our products’ samples were sent to NAFDAC’s Bauchi office since April, 2021, observations made were promptly attended to by our team to enable NAFDAC’s staff submit to their Maiduguri office for laboratory certification .
By June, 2021, we were in our second year pursuing certification after investing heavily in our factory.
Our first application fee was paid to the Abuja office but was lying idle without Bauchi (where our company is sited) being aware of the transaction. I had to provide them with evidence of payment and application number given to us by the headquarters before any attempt was made to attend to us, meaning there is no synergy between the headquarters and state offices. NAFDAC is killing many SMEs that require certification from them.
NAFDAC’s administrative red tape and uncoordinated archaic operational system is also sabotaging federal government’s effort of diversifying the economy.
Alhaji S B Tanko wrote from Jos, Plateau State.
