Nation
Imported Syringes, Needles Fake, Unsterile, Senate Warns
The Senate, yesterday, raised the alarm that the majority of the imported syringes and needles are substandard, unsterile that are used and rewashed syringes from the Asian continent, and thereafter, imported into the country.
The Senate is, however, carrying a holistic probe into the state of manufacturing, importation, and policy guideline for syringe and needles in Nigeria.
According to the Senate, against the backdrop that the imported syringe and needles are already used and released, they then endanger the lives, health, and safety of Nigerians.
The Senate also said that it is worried that an estimated over one billion units per annum of syringe and needles are being imported into the country making the country lose huge foreign exchange, just as it said that the estimated requirement of syringe and needle in the country is 1.5billion to 2billion units per annum.
Consequently, the Senate has directed its Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) to summon the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, to provide an explanation on the policy for the procurement and utilization of syringe and needles by federally, state, and privately owned hospitals and agencies of the ministry.
Resolutions of the Senate, yesterday, were sequel to a motion titled, “The need to regulate the manufacturing, importation, and use of syringes and needles to protect the lives and safety of Nigerians as well as the economy of the country, sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, APC, Kwara Central, and co-sponsored by Senator Suleiman Umar, APC, Kwara North.
The Senate has also directed its Committees on Trade and Investment and Customs, Excise, and Tariff to summon the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo; Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd); the Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye of syringe and needles and any other relevant persons or body to intimate them on the state of manufacturing, importation and policy guideline for syringe and needles in Nigeria.
Earlier in his presentation, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe said that the Senate was “Aware that syringes and needles are essential medical products used for the administration of drugs parentally (Intravenous, Intramuscular, Subcutaneous) to safe human lives. It is also used for the collection of blood samples for purpose of laboratory tests and in some surgical procedures.
“Aware also that if not sterilized and of the right quality, the use of syringes and needles could cause disease and even death to the patient. Hence, instead of being a life-saving instrument, it becomes a danger to the patient”.
According to him, the Upper Chamber is “Further aware that syringe and needle manufacturing is a very strategic Industry for national development particularly in the health sector and is also of great importance in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on Good Health (SDG 3) and good Job/Economic Growth (SDG 8).
“The syringe manufacturing industry is a developing sector in Nigeria and has seven existing manufacturing factories, cut across the nation.
“Notes that investment in the sub-sector is estimated to be about N64billion with a potential market value of about N100billion that could be created locally, engaging about 3,000 Nigerians directly and saving Nigeria about $150million in foreign exchange requirement per annum.
“Notes that the estimated requirement of syringe and needle in the country is 1.5-2billion units per annum.”
He said that the Senate, “Notes that certified and approved local manufactures of syringe and needles in Nigeria by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) have the capacity to produce 1.6billion units per annum with a potential to produce 2.4billion units per annum if provided with favourable business environment.
“Worried that despite this capacity, an estimated one billion units per annum of syringe and needles are being imported into the country making the country to lose huge foreign exchange.
“Further worried that majority of the imported syringes and needles are substandard, unsterile (used and rewashed syringes from Asian continent) hence endangering the lives, health, and safety of Nigerians.
“Concerned that despite the introduction of 75% import duties on imported syringes and needles, the Customs department is not enforcing this, enabling mass importation of cheap substandard and unsterile syringe and needles. This action is killing the local manufacturers making them lay off staff and preventing them from contributing effectively to the economy.
“Concerned further that the plan to establish and implement a Backward Integration Policy (BIP) to feel the gap between need and local production by the Ministry of Trade and Investment has not been given the desired necessary action. This has contributed to the indiscriminate importation and killing of the local manufacturing efforts.
“More concerned that the Federal Ministry of Health does not have an effective policy on the procurement and utilization of syringe and needles by the federally owned hospitals and agencies. This has led to federally owned hospitals to sometimes procure and use substandard syringe and needles in their centres.”
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi