Bayelsa Raises Alarm Over Influx Of Fake Products
The Bayelsa Government warns that the influx of fake drugs, drinks, and cosmetics in markets is fueling liver, kidney, and lung diseases.
The Commissioner for Information, Orientation, and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, described the situation as a “serious emergency” requiring urgent attention from both government and residents.
According to her, several government agencies are already working to tackle the menace, particularly the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Health, the Environmental Sanitation Authority, and the Consumer Protection Unit of the Ministry of Trade and Investment.
She disclosed that some offenders had been arrested and prosecuted, while confiscated goods were destroyed to safeguard public health.
“Environmental Sanitation Authority is already in court with some of the people who are selling these fake drugs, fake drinks and other fake items and those fake goods were confiscated.
“The Ministry of Environment went out for their normal checks. When they got to Swali market, they saw soft drinks, body cream, and hair relaxer that were all fake and expired.
“For us as a government, we want the people of Bayelsa to remain healthy. Anything we can prevent, we start to prevent it and we believe that joining hands with all of the agencies that are in charge of these.
“We will be able to stop the influx of those kinds of things. The ones we have seen, we have confiscated, they are even being arrested,” she said.
Drawing from her experience as a trained nurse, Koku-Obiyai linked the rise in chronic health conditions to the consumption and use of substandard products.
She said, “I have my worries because I am a nurse. If you were to visit the Federal Medical Centre or any of these health facilities, you would see the number of kidney and liver diseases.
“Some of these harmful chemicals that are injected or added to fake drugs, soft drinks, or wine have direct effects on the liver, kidneys, and even the lungs.
“The creams we use, once applied to the skin, are absorbed directly into the bloodstream. We need to alert our people and enlighten them on the need to be sure of what they are buying,” she said.
Koku-Obiyai urged residents to be extra vigilant while shopping, stressing the importance of checking expiry dates, NAFDAC registration numbers, product colours, and textures before purchase.
“If an item is far cheaper than its normal price, that should raise a red flag. The same applies to the water we drink some bottled or sachet water is produced under unsafe conditions,” she warned.
The commissioner emphasised that the government remained committed to reducing the spread of fake products, assuring that enforcement agencies would sustain their clampdown on offenders.
She also encouraged residents to report suspicious items, assuring them that their identities would be protected.
“There are deaths that are quite preventable, and I believe that is one of those situations.
“We have addressed the press on that, alerting the people that in case you see anything like that, approach the Ministry of Trade.
“They have the duty for consumer protection, and we have assured the people that there will be confidentiality.
“We need to be careful, we need to educate our children, and we need to enlighten the people.
“We need to let them know that such situations are red alerts, especially when a product is sold far cheaper than the normal price,” she noted.
Bayelsa Raises Alarm Over Influx Of Fake Products is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
