Group moves against drug counterfeiters

The 2015 ACC campaign kicked off with a press conference tagged “We All Have a Role to Play in Fighting Illicit Trade” recently held at Sheraton Hotel, in Lekki, Lagos, to herald the commencement of activities marking the World Anti-Counterfeiting Day which is commemorated on the 24th of June annually.In his opening remarks, Chairman, ACC, […]

The 2015 ACC campaign kicked off with a press conference tagged “We All Have a Role to Play in Fighting Illicit Trade” recently held at Sheraton Hotel, in Lekki, Lagos, to herald the commencement of activities marking the World Anti-Counterfeiting Day which is commemorated on the 24th of June annually.
In his opening remarks, Chairman, ACC, Mr. Desmond Adeola, said the event was put together in order to address issues concerning the fight against illicit products and enlighten the public on the hazards of patronising them.
He said: “It’s a big battle and it’s a global one – people call it transnational. It is global because estimates are that over $1 trillion in annual losses is lost to counterfeiting globally either by government, consumers or manufacturers.
“Counterfeiting is not only about money, it is also about people. About two million jobs are at risk annually from counterfeiters. Illicit trade destroys companies; we have this as a big problem.”
Director General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said one of the problems facing the council is the inability of manufacturers to disclose relevant information of their brands, noting that the council is not availed with the necessary message to inform consumers on ways of deciphering counterfeit products from the original. She advocated that brand protection should be minimal.
She said: “We find that there is a dearth of intelligence for us. We are not business people, we don’t know what your product is, we don’t know the signs and logos and the security things that you’ve put on them which would make us differentiate it. But if you don’t tell us, there is no way we can help you.”
The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii, who was represented by the Head, Investigation and Enforcement, Kingsley Ejiofor, said apart from consumers knowing their rights, a collaborative mechanism between the agency and the consumers, manufacturers, media, law enforcement agents and regulatory bodies locally and internationally is needed to combat this menace.