NAFDAC Director Laments Severe Personnel Deficit, Citing Only 2,000 Employees to Serve 240 Million Nigerians

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The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has lamented the agency’s manpower shortage.

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She said the agency is grossly understaffed to effectively regulate products consumed by over 240 million Nigerians.

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Adeyeye, during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, said NAFDAC currently operates with about 2,000 workers, a situation she described as inadequate compared with the country’s population.

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She said a comparable country such as Indonesia, with a population of about 280 million people, has about 20,000 regulatory staff.

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“We have been chronically short of staff in NAFDAC.

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“We are 240 million people and we have 2,000 staff. A comparable country in Indonesia that has about 280 million people, they have 20,000 staff. That is the gap that we have been discussing in terms of closing,” she said.

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The NAFDAC boss said the agency was not demanding the same workforce as Indonesia but needed at least 5,000 additional personnel to improve its operations nationwide.

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“We are not asking for 20,000. We need at least 5,000 more. At least 5,000 more staff,” she added.

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Adeyeye said the shortage had stretched the agency’s capacity, noting that it could not be physically present everywhere across the country despite its responsibilities.

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“Because, like you said, we cannot be everywhere. We are stretched thin. We are doing the very best we can do,” she said.

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The NAFDAC DG also called for improved funding for the Federal Task Force established to support the agency’s enforcement activities.

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She said the Federal Task Force C34 Bill, enacted in 2004, had not received financial backing since its creation.

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“Another is our support. The Federal Task Force C34 bill was enacted in 2004. That bill was never supported with one naira,” Adeyeye said.

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She, however, expressed optimism that the Federal Government would provide the needed support, following discussions with the Minister of Finance.

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According to her, the Federal Task Force works with 36 state task forces, which are expected to assist with enforcement activities at the state level.

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“The Federal Government is listening that we need a lot of staff and we need support. And I believe they’re going to do that,” she said.

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