company runs foul of NAFDAC rules

The National Agency For Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday destroyed expired malt extract and glucose belonging to Guinness Nigeria Plc.

The destruction took place at a dump site at Otta, Ogun.

A NAFDAC staff on site, who preferred anonymity, said, “this is a case which has been concluded.

Guinness has been given permission to destroy the expired raw materials belonging to them while we supervise.

“We have two products, the malt extracts in drums and glucose in packs. “We have worked for three days and I still see us working till the next one week.`On the first day, we had a simulation test with a truck of each of the materials to see how the process would go.’’

On the quantity of raw materials to be destroyed, the staff said “each truck has 18 bags for the glucose and another truck of 72 drums of malt extract.

“We destroyed five trucks of malt extract yesterday, with each containing 72 drums of malt extract and 10 trailers of glucose with each containing 18 bags.“Today, we are here with five trucks of the drums of malt extract and 10 trailers of the bags of glucose and we have about 2,600 of the drums.

Mr Ernest Abu, Manager at Guinness said “the exercise is based on a resolution between NAFDAC and Guinness. I am only on ground to ensure that the destruction goes according to acceptable safety standards.’’

NAFDAC had on Nov. 9, 2015, written a letter on `Payment of Administrative Charges for Various Clandestine Violations’ to the Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc.

The agency stated that the company had been involved in clandestine violations contrary to the rules, regulations and enactments of NAFDAC and consequently fined Guinness one billion naira.

The fine was for administrative charges for all the destruction carried out by the company without authorization and supervision of NAFDAC.

The letter said some of the regulatory infractions included, “All the revalidation of expired products without authorisation and supervision of the agency.

A source at NAFDAC had told NAN that the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC had gone on site to inspect the warehouse in question and discovered acts that violated NAFDAC’s mandate. The company was subsequently fined and told to comply within two weeks of receipt of the letter sent to them.

In reaction, management of Guinness Nigeria had issued a release saying that they were not aware of their infringements.

“The management of Guinness Nigeria does not fully understand the basis for the computation of the administrative charges or the particular regulations alleged to have been infringed.

`We are in discussions with NAFDAC with a view to gaining better clarity on the issue and hopefully have it resolved.“We remain committed to working with NAFDAC and other regulatory authorities.”