FG regulatory agencies must act as agents of change—Osinbajo

• NAFDAC, SON now to grant licenses & approvals within stated time limits

Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has said it is the role of government’s regulatory agencies to act as catalysts of beneficial change and to take responsibility for facilitating businesses in the country.

Osinbajo told regulatory agencies on Tuesday during a follow-up meeting with the Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, medium & small scale business stakeholders from the state and some Federal Government regulatory agencies.

Accoding to him, “We must see ourselves as agents of some catalytic change, we must take some responsibility to make profound changes possible,”

The Acting President had visited Aba to flag-off the Presidency’s MSMES Clinics where medium & small scale businesses were brought together in one spot with Federal Government regulatory agencies they interface with.

At the meeting, also attended by the Industry, Trade & Investment Minister, Dr. Okey Enelamah, and the Minister of State in the ministry, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, the Acting President directed both the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to ascertain specific timelines within which they would be able to grant licenses and approvals required of them by Nigerians and business interests.

Subsequently, the Director-General of SON, Mr. Aboloma Osita, announced that within 60 days the agency will issue required approvals, while the Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni also said within 90 days the agency will issue required licenses.

Both officials said the timing starts from the day the requests are submitted.

According to the Acting President, regulatory agencies like NAFDAC and SON would be judged by how many people, businesses they are able to support “to achieve the greatest public good.”

He commended the Abia State Governor for his drive, adding that ‘Made in Aba’ products are now acquiring a mark of quality.

He said: “Like I said during my visit to Aba, you can’t have any serious kind of industrialization in this country, without a focus on Aba.”

Also today, Osinbajo met with the Governors of Cross Rivers, Senator Ben Ayade; Akwa Ibom, Mr. Emmanuel Udom and Ebonyi States, Mr. Dave Umahi, alongside top officials of the National Boundary Commission, led by the Director-General, Dr. Muhammad Ahmad, to review updates on boundary  and boundary demarcation issues.