The NAFDAC Head of Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, also said the agency would work to ensure that fake cosmetics and other counterfeit products were completely wiped out of the country.
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ACTDA rescues Awka residents from perennial flooding
…begins intensive desilting of gutters
BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka
Shop owners and residents along Zik Avenue Awka could not withhold their joy and happiness as the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) commenced massive desilting of drainages in the area to rescue them from age-long perennial flooding.
Investigations conducted during the commencement of the exercise revealed that the level of devastation caused by flooding in the area is better imagined as flood found its way into people’s homes and shops due to blockage of flood channels.
Human and vehicular movements in the area become impossible because of the level of flood between Post office, Udeke street down to Eke-Awka market area along the popular Zik Avenue road.
Mrs. Ada Nwogbo who lives along Udeke street by Zik Avenue said it was always catastrophic each time it rained because according to her, the height of the flood gets to the waist level and no one dared to come out for fear of being trapped in the menacing flood.
She however expressed joy that the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has come to rescue them from flood menace. She equally suggested that henceforth anyone caught throwing refuse into the gutters should be arrested by the police and dealt with accordingly.
A shop owner who identified himself as Gabriel Tagbo said the intensive desilting of gutters embarked upon by ACTDA was a timely intervention to their sufferings.
Tagbo who observed that the drainages on both sides of the road were too small, maintained that each time it rained, the drainages were filled up resulting in water entering people’s homes and shops.
He equally suggested that all the slabs used in covering gutters should be removed for easy evacuation of silt from water channels.
Although Mr. Tagbo recalled that flood entered his shop and destroyed his goods, he also expressed happiness that ACTDA has come to rescue them from perennial flood menace.
A native of Awka who gave his name as Aiza Nwosu, said he has overtime campaigned against throwing wastes inside the gutters whenever it rained.
Aiza Nwosu said at some point, he volunteered his personal car for waste collections; thereby going around and telling people to bring their wastes for him to use his private car to evacuate them all in a bid to control flood in the area.
Also Pharm. Obiefuna Patrick Eze, who owns a pharmaceutical store at Amaenyi along Zik Avenue Awka, shared his ordeal with our correspondent.
He said he has been suffering from flood menace for the past 4 years but heaved a sigh of relief that the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has intervened with clearing the gutters to ensure free flow of water through the gutters whenever there was a downpour.
He equally suggested that the citizens should assist government by voluntarily desilting drainages within their surroundings as government can not be everywhere at the same time.
Meanwhile Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) Hon. Ossy Onuko, said the exercise was in continuation of Operation Clean and Green Campaign.
Onuko said the agency is launching a weeklong intensive desilting of drainages along Zik Avenue Awka which is about 7.5 kilometers, stressing that the agency will ensure that debris no longer blocked flood channels.
Onuko said that the agency has gotten complaints that Zik Avenue is covered with flood whenever it rained. He said citizens have imbibed a very negative culture of dumping refuse into the drainages once it rained. That the resultant effect is that plastic wastes which do not decompose fill up the drainages and block flood channels, leaving the roads at the mercy of the flood.
The ACTDA MD noted that when they came on board there were no receptacles along Zik Avenue. But according to him, they have provided receptacles within walking distance where people can dispose their wastes, adding that there was no reason whatsoever people should dump waste inside the gutters only to cause environmental hazards.
According to Onuko, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has strengthened the Ocha-Brigade to take up the task of ensuring that those found throwing wastes inside the gutters are effectively punished in accordance with the law.
News
Invoke executive order for state, LG police, Afenifere tells Tinubu
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, on Saturday, urged President Bola Tinubu to invoke an Executive Order for the establishment of state and local government Police.
Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi,in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, also called for the erection of close-circuit television sets and deployment of modern technology for security purposes in strategic locations to end insecurity.
Ajayi said, “There are indications that Tinubu is desirous of putting an end to this deleterious menace. Towards the end of January this year, he approved the procurement of digital tracking tools to enhance the apprehension of bandits, terrorists and armed robbers.
“On Monday, April 22, this year, he used the occasion of addressing participants at the African Counter-Terrorism Summit which opened on that day in Abuja to assure everyone of his government’s readiness to ensure greater security. Unfortunately, recent happenings have not shown that the President’s desire in this respect is being worked upon.
“President Tinubu should get state and local government police off the ground immediately through the invocation of an Executive Order while the process of amending the Constitution continues.
“Close circuit television sets, deployment of modern technology for security purposes including drones must be effected immediately.”
He explained that the statement was motivated by the recent reports of banditry and kidnapping in Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, Zamfara and Niger States, respectively which made a research organization declare Nigeria as one of the top nations where kidnap ranks highest globally.
Ajayi noted that Fulani herders and farmers’ clashes kept occurring in Osun, Ondo and Oyo State; Otu, Igbeti and Alaga in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State were the latest victims.
The Afenifere spokesperson also said, “In order to end insecurity, enhance people’s welfare and ensure the sustenance of Nigeria as one of the top investment destinations in Africa as desired by the government, there is the urgent need by the Federal Government and security agencies to be more innovative and decisive.”
He lamented that banditry, including armed robbery, kidnapping was still occurring on South-West roads such as Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode; Akure-Ilesa-Ibadan; Ore-Ijebu Ode-Lagos, Ikirun-Osogbo-Ilesa; Lokoja-Abuja, Owo-Benin and Ibadan-Iseyin-Saki.
“Latest reports have it that on Monday, May 13 instant, eight cocoa farmers were kidnapped at Marindoti Cocoa Farmers’ settlement in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State. Three students of Millicent Secondary School in the same area on their way to write their Senior Secondary School Examination, were also kidnapped at the same time.
“A sum of N31 million was reportedly paid to ransom three people who were kidnapped at Longe village on Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road last week Sunday. On Thursday, May 16, one Seliat Adeniji (nee Raji) was kidnapped in her Ebedi home in Iseyin, Oyo State. Her guard was killed in the process.
“Hon Bello Hassan representing Zurmi/Shinkafi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives last Tuesday claimed that terrorists have sacked about 50 communities and abducted over 500 people in his area of Zamfara State as bandits overran Zurmi, the second most populous town in the state killing palace officers as well as policemen.”
To put a serious check on all these, the Afenifere spokesman said that there was an urgent need to dig deep into the roots of the menace and to be decisive in applying the necessary measures.
News
NAFDAC shuts cosmetic shops in Lagos, seizes counterfeit products
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut three shops and raided others during a clampdown on the sale of unregistered “Dr. Teal’s” brand of cosmetics in Lagos State.
The agency disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Saturday, stating that the action came after a complaint from the trademark holder.
The statement read, “NAFDAC has shut down three cosmetics shops and raided others, targeting the sale of unregistered ‘Dr. Teal’s’ brand cosmetics. This action follows a complaint from the trademark holder regarding potential counterfeit products.
“Two suspected shops along Excellent Line at the Trade Fair Complex were targeted, resulting in sealed shops and invitation letters issued to attendants.”
It added that another development unfolded at Okas Global Link Limited where NAFDAC confiscated over 200 cartons of various Dr. Teal’s products and other unregistered cosmetics, suspecting them to be the source of distribution.
A shop identified as Cubana Stores at Phil Hallmark Plaza was also reported to have been sealed for stocking and selling the moisturising body and bath products of the alleged unregistered Dr. Teal’s brand.
NAFDAC added that according to its regulations, shop owners found guilty of selling unregistered products face penalties of up to ₦5m fine.
It said shop owners were also being questioned as part of ongoing investigations.
In the statement, the agency emphasised the health risks associated with fake cosmetics, stating the potential dangers of using products containing harmful substances.
News
Traders, soldiers clash at Banex Plaza in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed intelligence officers to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja following a conflict that ensued between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.
A viral video seen by our correspondent on X on Saturday showed a multitude of civilians overpowering some soldiers during a free-for-all fight at Banex.
The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.
Meanwhile, a trader who simply identified himself as Abdul, told our correspondent on Saturday that the conflict ensued over the sale of a mobile phone.
“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,” Abdul simply revealed.
When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.
“The CP has deployed the Intelligence Response Team to the scene,” Adeh confirmed.
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