As part of measure to cushion effects of Covid-19 pandemic and encourage gradual return of economy, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has slashed product registration for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kano State, with introductions of 80 per cent being inform of palliative designed to remove small business owners from covid-19 effect.
The gesture, according to the agency, was aimed at reducing the efffects post- pandemic may pose on SMEs and bring about ease of doing business to business owners who are likely to directly feel impact of covid-19 outbreak that led to shutting down of businesses across the nation earlier 2020.
As reported, part of the palliatives were given 80% discount on registration fees to Small Medium and Small Scale Enterprises products, to encorage and allow smooth running of the business.
The Coordinator, NAFDAC, Kano State, Shaba Mohammed, disclosed that the 80 per cent discounts introduced was a form of palliative from the agaency and that te gesture was a contribution from NAFDAC to ensure business owners operating under its purview returned to business without any hicups.
Speaking to newsmen on the development on Wednesday in Kano, Mohammed said that the palliative was to ameliorate the sufferng of business operators in that category and improve business as well as mitigate effects of the pandemic on operators.
The agency coordinator reiterated that granting of waiver on registration fees was to enable businesses maintain smooth operations in the face of economic disruption, occasioned by the pandemic.
“We gave them 80 per cent discount; what they need to pay is only 20 per cent of what they are supposed to pay, if they were paying N100, 000 for instance, it means that they will now pay N20, 000, and go through the normal process.” The coordinator said.
Similarly, Muhammed indicated that the agency also granted approval to Beauty and Pharmaceutical companies for production of hand sanitisers and that raw materials for the production were certified by NAFDAC after inspection.
The agency boss said other related companies were also supervised with donations of needed materials required in production to business owners, to encourage massive and quality production that would in turn satisfy their customers.
He advised business operators to patronise and source for materials locally so as to help in reducing cost of production and increase locally made products.
“We have 15 companies that are enjoying the facility in Kano State and those coming up are also being inspected, and some of them have gotten their numbers.”
“The Agency also organised the companies and facilitated donation of the hand sanitisers and other items to the state government, to curb further spread of the virus.
