Its a season of fines for companies that has been treating the laws of the country with contempt as the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has fined Guinness Nigeria Plc, N1 Billion for violating laid down rules.
NAFDAC accused Guinness of allegedly revalidating expired products without authorisation and supervision, and exposing its raw materials to rodents.
A source from the Enforcement Department of the agency, who pleaded anonymity, affirms that the agency conducted a routine check on the company’s factory in Ikeja, Lagos on November 5, 2015, and “shocking” revelations were made.
The NAFDAC team reportedly had unsatisfactory appraisals about how some of the materials used in the production processes were being handled.
Also, the team that visited Guinness was worried about the manner in which the raw materials used in the factory were stored.
Also, the team that visited Guinness was worried about the manner in which the raw materials used in the factory were stored.
“The unhygienic storage condition of the raw materials was a major source of worry for the agency,” the source said.
“Our team visited Guinness and the reported findings were true. The agency is, however, going to make a public statement to this effect at the appropriate time, as the management is still studying the reports submitted by the team,” the source noted.
An excerpt of the letter from NAFDAC, which was obtained from reads thus;
“In view of the above, you are further required to take the following actions: disclosure of all your warehouses in the country and submission of inventory level of the stock thereof; submit a written voluntary consent of forfeiture for destruction of the expired and revalidated raw materials discovered in your warehouse; and submit a notarised undertaking to comply with all the guidelines, rules, regulations and enactments of the agency, and to refrain from any future violations.”
“In view of the above, you are further required to take the following actions: disclosure of all your warehouses in the country and submission of inventory level of the stock thereof; submit a written voluntary consent of forfeiture for destruction of the expired and revalidated raw materials discovered in your warehouse; and submit a notarised undertaking to comply with all the guidelines, rules, regulations and enactments of the agency, and to refrain from any future violations.”
Reacting to the reports, Peter Ndegwa, Managing Director of Guinness said the said raw materials store is not a production facility and that “we are engaging National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, for clarifications and resolution of the issues.”
