The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, has recalled her efforts at restoring the already soiled image of Nigeria globally after assuming office more than nine years ago.
Adeyeye recalled her efforts during a press conference in Lagos on Monday, where she also disclosed that NAFDAC had cleared debts amounting to about N3.2 billion inherited when she assumed office in 2017.
According to her, the inherited liabilities included about N1.6 billion in unpaid taxes owed to the government, approximately N700 million owed to staff who travelled for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) activities, and about N400 million owed to contractors.
Adeyeye said she took immediate steps to reduce the agency’s expenditure, particularly on official travel, in order to free funds for settling the liabilities.
The NAFDAC boss alleged both internal and external calls for her resignation.
“In 2022, that was the last year of my first term. It was a bad year. It was a horrible year because people instigated, even our staff, to go on strike from June of 2022 to November. To paint the kettle black, but the kettle has remained white. Because some people wanted to become DG of NAFDAC? They are instigating a lot behind the scenes. But this is my 9th year.
“When I got to NAFDAC, the Agency had a status of maturity level minus one- out of four. We had N3.2 billion debt that I inherited. N1.6 million and N1.6 billion were taxes that my predecessors did not pay to the government, and other debts. In 2017 alone, there were 700 travels, and I say no more travels until we pay our debts.
She alleged that some members of the Agency had kicked against her attempts to pay back the debts owed to the government.
“We paid about N3.1 billion by November 2018. The other money was fictitious, and we did not pay it. Then people asked me- why are you paying debts? We don’t pay debts here o! I said ehn ehn? But I told them I was brought up not to owe. Not to be a slave to the lender.
“70 to 80 per cent of our equipment were not working in the lab. Companies were sending vehicles for us to come and inspect them. No single director had a laptop bought by NAFDAC as of 2017. The ICT was put in the deep freezer”.
Adeyeye noted that her efforts eventually paid off when the Agency rose from maturity level minus one to level 3 in 2022, as well as becoming a member of globally recognised standard-setting regulatory organisations.
“But by March 2022, we became a maturity level 3 Agency – the third in Africa. Around March 2023, we became an affiliate member of the International Medical Regulatory Forum by invitation only. By 2925 we became a member of the International Council for Ammonization. Let me tell you: we have 184 agencies across the world, and NAFDAC became number 24, and they have only 25 members there.
“Countries now respect us. Regulatory agencies respect us. In my first two years, I was going round doing image-making, rebuilding our bad image. They were calling NAFDAC ‘good for nothing agency’. Somebody told me, ‘Oh, we used to call NAFDAC good for nothing agency. Congratulations, you are now maturity level 3.’
“My first trip to South Africa. We were in a small bus that could take about 14 persons, and somebody joking say ‘oh DG. The people before you would bring contingents that could not contain this bus’, because of what? Estacode!”
Adeyeye reinstated her knack for service after her retirement as a Professor in the United States.
“I lived in the US for 34 years. I was a professor for 30 years in an all-white school. I retired happily. I came here to serve, but some Nigerians have an aversion to service. It is What can I get! We have rendered Nigeria useless because of ‘what can I get’! We have rendered Nigeria useless because of ‘what is in it for my pocket?’”.
She challenged anyone with proof of corruption against her to come forward with evidence.
“Any contractor that I have demanded money from should come here and tell me! I came here for service. I retired happily.
“I was ashamed of my country! I came to remove some of the shame. And the world is seeing it! The world is seeing it! So that question, ‘when are you going to resign’- I hope you got the answer? Tell the person that sent you to ask that question that you have got the answer. Don’t be afraid to deliver the answer”, she lashed out.
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