By MONDAY AJOGUN

A federal lawmaker, Mr Afam Ogene, has decried the alleged imposition of N700,000 against traders affected by the closure of the Onitsha drug market by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Ogene, who is the member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra under the Labour Party said in a statement in Onitsha on Tuesday that the actions were ?scandalous, outrageous, and reprehensible?.

He lamented that documented evidence had shown that NAFDAC was officially extorting N700,000 from every shop owner in the drug market, to allow them access to their shops.

The lawmaker alleged that over 1,000 shop owners have paid the contentious N700,000 access fee.

He recalled that the House of Representatives had earlier cautioned NAFDAC in a February motion, against harming innocent businesses during operations at the market.

Ogene questioned the rationale behind the imposition of a N700,000 levy on all business owners, regardless of culpability.

?The prolonged market closure and NAFDAC?s apparent inability to identify and bring to justice those responsible for drug counterfeiting raises concerns about the agency?s operational efficiency.

?What is this money for? If it?s for access to the shops of affected traders, does it imply that the fee absolves those guilty of drug counterfeiting? How is this fair to innocent businesses in the market?

?Doesn?t this contradict the principles of fairness and justice that democracy and the rule of law uphold? This controversy is avoidable and distracts from the fight against fake drugs.

?NAFDAC?s actions are unethical, unacceptable, and reprehensible; the agency must act swiftly to address this issue, which threatens its image and credibility, and saves the institution from further embarrassment,? he said. (NAN)

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