In a major crackdown, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down a Chinese owned supermarket in Abuja for allegedly violating the agency’s labelling regulations and selling expired goods.
Acting on a credible source, the agency stormed the Chinese supermarket located at Azba Mall, 2 Durban Street, Wasu 2, to verify the claim.
The agency enforcement team leader, Shaba Mohammed, confirmed that the supermarket sold products written only in Chinese language, describing it as a violation of the agency’s law.
The supermarket owned and managed by a Chinese national alleged that they were in the process of obtaining a licensing and translating product label permit from NAFDAC, as mandated by law.
He revealed that further investigation will be carried out to determine how the product bypassed labelling requirements and gained entrance into the country without being intercepted.
After inspecting the supermarket warehouse store, it was discovered that 90 percent of the goods were labelled only in Chinese.
“You also find some Nigerians patronising the supermarket.”
He noted that the aim of the operation was to stop the sales of the products to the public ,acknowledging the goals of the agency.
Expressing concern, Mohammed said, “If you must sell anything labelled in either Arabic, Chinese, or Indian language, then you must have the English translation of it.
He added, “So, how are they able to read what they have bought? Not only that, when you look at the date markings, some of the items have expired, and they are still on the shelves.
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“Even if NAFDAC gave them a global listing to import the items, the labelling ought to have been in the English language.
“So, they can’t present to us any document from NAFDAC for which the items are in foreign language. That is not acceptable. So, that is why we have to seal off the supermarket.
“We have to invite them, do thorough investigation before we conclude on the case. You can’t be here and then you just bring in anything. No, it doesn’t happen.
Emphasising the need of upholding national standard, he said “You can’t have a country in a country.
