The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced a nationwide sensitization campaign on product registration and value addition for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) operators across the country.
A statement from the agency yesterday quoted its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, as saying the Federal Government had identified MSMEs as very critical to the economy of the country.
She stated this during a sensitization campaign on MSMEs registration and product value addition organized by the agency in collaboration with Yobe State government in Damaturu.
Represented by NAFDAC Zonal Director, North-East, Bukar Usman , she said consultants and middlemen had been the reason for the increasing problems and high cost of registration, faced by MSMEs in getting their products registered.
“Part of the problem we have had in the past regarding high registration costs is due to interactions of MSMEs with consultants hence, we urge them to deal directly with the agency,” Adeyeye said.
She explained that value addition entailed transforming or converting raw materials into finished or semi-finished products, while maintaining product quality.
She said the sensitization is aimed at increasing the number of people engaged in adding value to their products by registering their products with NAFDAC in order to safeguard the health of the public.