The leadership of Ogbo-Ogwu Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, has firmly denied allegations that it is colluding with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) or supporting the sale of fake and expired drugs. Market caretaker committee chairman Ndubuisi Chukwuleta described the claims as false and malicious, asserting they were fabricated by suspended members of his executive who oppose his leadership style.
Chukwuleta, who has been in the pharmaceutical trade at the market for 32 years without any record of wrongdoing, emphasized that his administration is committed to combating counterfeit drugs. He detailed that the market leadership actively seizes fake products and hands them over to NAFDAC for destruction, with over ₦70 million worth of such drugs regularly submitted and all procedures properly documented.
He also revealed that he had rejected bribes as high as ₦15 million and faced court cases and legislative scrutiny due to his uncompromising stance against fake drugs. Chukwuleta noted that the majority of his executive supports him, dismissing the allegations as the work of a minority of suspended members.
Additionally, Chukwuleta highlighted improvements in the market’s financial management, including clearing inherited debts, increasing government revenue, and funding infrastructure upgrades without extra charges to traders. He stated that NAFDAC officials had cleared him of any wrongdoing after extensive surveillance and stakeholder engagement.