Chiamaka Ekeh
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has launched a working group that
would seek to learn from Nigeria how it’s been able to curb the
illicit activities of counterfeit drug producers.
This was made known on Monday at a US embassy’s its two-day programme
on the bane of counterfeit pharmaceuticals and piracy involving top
executives from the pharmaceutical, Nigeria Customs Service, banking
and creative industry.
In a welcome address by Tanya Hill, the US government said Nigeria’s
African country whose asset lies in its innovation, ingenuity, and
creativity of its people.
The embassy further explained how important it was for intellectual
properties of people should be protected.
“Investments in intellectual Property (IP) are growing rapidly in the
global economy, often exceeding investments in traditional property
such as machinery, equipment and real estate. Nigeria has improved its
ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business; a strong
intellectual property regime will further bolster Nigeria’s investment
climate,” Hill explained.
The working group which comprises select NAFDAC enforcement officials
and selected alumni from three pharmaceutical crime workshops were
mandated to build on the capacity-building programmes of the US
Department of Justice (USDOJ).
With the working group, Regional Pharmaceutical Crime Working Group,
the US embassy said it wanted Nigeria to share “its strides in
pharmaceutical crime enforcement with her other African nations”.
