Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Anambra State Government has embarked on a fact-finding tour of the Onitsha Head bridge Drug Market on a fact-finding tour to ascertain the true situation on the ground.
The move may not be unconnected to the disturbing viral video of an activist, Mr Martins Vincent Otse popularly known as Verydarkman (VDM), who had threatened to lead a protest against the continued closure and punishment of Onitsha traders by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The government team, comprising the Information Commissioner, Dr Law Mefor, and his counterpart in the Health Ministry, Dr Afam Obidike, walked round the market and interacted with some traders, the NAFDAC representative and the market leadership.
According to the Information Commissioner, Dr Law Mefor, who spoke to journalists in the midst of some traders after the market tour, the visit was a follow-up on the governor’s earlier visit in February to ascertain whether the market was still closed.
“We are here for three reasons: One is to follow up on the earlier visit by the governor in February, when the Ọgbọ-Ọgwụ Market was closed. The governor made a passionate appeal to NAFDAC, asking them to quickly reopen the market to alleviate the sufferings of the people. As a committed and compassionate governor, he will always do all he can to ensure that the people do not suffer unduly. I also wanted to ascertain whether or not the market is still closed as claimed on the social media and still under lock and key.
“I can see for myself that the market has been open since March. We have met with the leadership of the Ogbogwu Market, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement of NAFDAC for South South/South East, and we have been able to ascertain how far they have gone in making sure that the Ọgbọ-Ọgwụ Market is running the way it should.
“From the Director of Enforcement and the union in the market, we learned that up to 95% of the shops are now open, and there are still a few shops under lock and key for two reasons. Some because the owners say they don’t have the kind of money being requested as a fine. There are some shops whose owners are reluctant to show up to be profiled for reasons best known to them.
“Overall, I think we are satisfied. For shops that are yet to be reopened, we will continue to support our governor to continue to put pressure on NAFDAC so that the remaining shops are reopened. It’s very important,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, assured that the drug market with full facilities for proper drug storage under construction in Oba will be completed as scheduled, even as he reminded the traders of the government’s commitment to their welfare.
Also in an interview, the Deputy Director, Investigation and Enforcement for the South South/South East Region of NAFDAC, Pharm. Omoyeni Babatunji, said that the data they captured identified people with their shops, adding that 95% of the shops in the market have reopened.
In his remarks, the Ọgbọ-Ọgwụ C.T.C. Chairman, Hon. Ndubuisi Chukwuleta, explained that the market has been open since 7th March, 2025, when NAFDAC finished their work.
According to him, “The exercise did not take place only here in Anambra. It’s the same in Lagos, Aba. And everyone, both in Lagos and Aba, is paying the fines based on what was found in one’s shop. There’s a sketch of the Connected Wholesale Centre (CWC), the Federal Government brought out for the four centres – Lagos, Kano, Abịa and Anambra. Only Kano has complied and finished it. Mr Governor is building that of Anambra now in Obá. It has been more than 10 years since they asked us to build it. They didn’t go to Kano. It is only Lagos, Onitsha and Aba. And they penalised every shop for that poor storage.”
He thanked Governor Soludo for his intervention and support throughout the process, pointing out that it was the governor’s appeal that necessitated the shortening of the duration of the market closure, unlike the previous exercise that left the market closed for four months.
Chukwuleta further disclosed that it was through the intervention of government representatives that the fine of N2 million was reduced to ₦500,000, and the clearance that would have been done in Enugu is being done in the NAFDAC Office in Onitsha.
