Abia State government has said that it would commence clampdown on the people behind the production of fake beverages, soft drinks and drugs in order to root out the illicit business.
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recently cried out over the production of fake consumer goods in the commercial city of Aba, saying that it destroyed dozens of the production centres.
Embarrassed by the recurring issue of fake products, the state government vowed to team up with security agencies to tackle the problem and protect those whose products were being faked.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu told journalists yesterday after this week’s meeting of the State Executive Council that government has declared war on the business of fake products.
He warned producers of fake drugs, soft drinks and beverages “to desist from such unwholesome acts that dent the image of the state”.
Kanu stated that government was going to embark on “serious enforcement with the security agencies to ensure that such acts(production of fake products) are stopped forthwith”.
The impending war on fake produds was hinted at last December by Governor Alex Otti in his monthly media interactions, saying that he would not allow the state to become a haven for producers of fake products.
He said that it was wrong for anybody to engage in faking the products of another person for whatever reason thereby giving the entire state a bad name.
Otti said that he was not against producers so long as they produce and put their own names on the label instead of using already existing brand names.
According to NAFDAC, brand names of popular soft drinks, powdered milk, hot drinks, among others, were commonly faked by the unscrupulous elements operating in the Cemetry Road Market, Aba.
On the housing deficit in the state, the Information Commissioner said that the state government was engaging with private developers to find solution to the
He said that government “is intentional about addressing the housing issues in and around the state capital”, Umuahia, adding that four housing projects were in the offing.
Kanu said that the projects would take off very soon with two of three of the hoising projects slated for Umuahia and ine for Ukwa West Local Government.
He named the locations of the coming housing projects as Valley View, Mbaisii, Mgbarakuma, all in Umuahia and Obehie in Ukwa West Local Government.