The Founder and Group Managing Director of Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Stella Okoli has called on all Nigerians to work together in combating the rising problem of drug abuse among our youths.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the reopening of its plant at the company’s Head Office in Lagos, she said “we must all come together to work in harmony, in love, in unity to collectively campaign against this social problem”.
According to her, Emzor has been working to support Nigerian youths through the Emzor Wellness Foundation and the Chike Okoli Foundation which was established more than 12 years ago to promote healthy lifestyles and entrepreneurship among the youths. The foundation has since trained, influenced and touched the lives of millions of youths, many of whom have graduated from the foundation’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies and are now running their own businesses.
“Our vision is to make unlimited wellness available to all and affordable by all. We call it Emzor Wellocracy, and as I welcome you here, it is our hope and belief that you shall leave here as wellocrats, helping us spread the message of unlimited wellness to all our people” she said.
Also speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Uzoma Ezeoke, Executive Director, General Duties, noted that contrary to widespread reports, the company was not shut by officials of the National Food and Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC).
She revealed that only one line of production was shut as the other Emzor plants were still operational.
She stated that the closure was indeed a misunderstanding because as a socially responsible corporate organization, following the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) documentary, the company took a pre-emptory measure by stopping the production of cough syrup with codeine.
Mrs Uzoma Ezeoke, Executive Director, General Duties, Dr Stella Okoli OON, GMD/CEO, Emzor, Chinelo Umeh, Regulatory Affairs Manager and Richard Ohahuru, Inventory Manager
She revealed that the company has cooperated with the regulatory body and is keen on working with others to tackle the drug abuse menace.
Mrs. Ezeoke explained that Emzor which is one of Nigeria’s leading companies has been in business for over 30 years and has been renowned for maintaining excellent standards and quality of its products.
She stated further that despite ensuring that its products are affordable, which is a deliberate management policy to ensure its products gets to all nooks and crannies and used by the poorest of the poor, the quality of its products have never been in doubt.
Mrs Ezeoke noted that Emzor benchmarks itself with world’s best practices, revealing that all its factories have current certificates of Good Manufacturing Practice, GMP, attesting to the company’s full compliance with regulatory guidelines. She also revealed that the company’s new ultra-modern factory, which is built to WHO standards is almost ready and will be commissioned soon.
During the Question and Answer session, Dr. Okoli stated that apart from the PR damage of closure, the company has incurred huge losses.
She noted that as a patriot, she views the losses suffered by her company as a national sacrifice which she hopes will ultimately lead to combating the drug abuse problem that is now bedeviling Nigerian youths.