The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has cautioned manufacturers and dealers of regulated products in Imo State to desist from producing and selling fake and substandard items.

Martins Iluyomade, the agency's South East Zonal Director, issued the warning during a stakeholder meeting in Owerri on Friday.

According to reports, Mercy Ndukwe, the agency's State Director, organized the meeting for executives from several groups that deal in NAFDAC-regulated items in the state.

Iluyomade stated that the agency was ready to ensure that products manufactured and marketed in the country met local and international standards.

He challenged the officers to ensure that the quality of the products they distribute during production inspection is the same as the ones they sell to Nigerians without supervision.

He said: “NAFDAC is now going beyond testing your products only at the production inspection stage.

“We have constituted a committee that goes into the markets to purchase any product of our choice for our analysis,” he said.

Earlier, the State Director of NAFDAC, said the essence of the meeting was to partner with the stakeholders and inform them of the activities of the agency for the year.

Ndukwe also said the meeting was aimed at ensuring that the stakeholders did not ignorantly default against NAFDAC guidelines while going about their businesses.

In a remark, the state Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Dr Norbert Ajero, promised that members would continue to do their best to support the activities of the agency.