By CHIMEZIE ANASO

The Anambra House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to speedily reopen the Onitsha drug market which has been shutdown since Feb. 9.

The lawmakers who passed the resolution during plenary on Tuesday said the closure of the drug Market had put the livelihood of no fewer than 10,000 traders, apprentices, and their dependants in danger.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Mr. Tony Moubike, member representing Aguata Constituency 2, said NAFDAC should expedite the inspection exercise going on and reopen the market in the interest of the people.

The Assembly also called on market leaders to establish strict monitoring structures to identify and report illicit activities within the market.

Moubike lamented that many innocent traders and apprentices are now suffering for an offence they had no hand in.

He added that many of the apprentices who are youths may be lured into anti-social behaviours including crime and criminality if the closure of the market persists

Mr. Somtochukwu Udeze, Speaker of the House, said they had received numerous appeals and concerns from members of the public regarding the prolonged closure.

Udeze said the method the agency was conducting the exercise was causing undue hardship to the people and called for speedy reopening of the market. (NAN)