NSIWC HARPS ON THOROUGH RESEARCH IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLICIT SUBSTANCE IN SPORTING ACTIVITIES

National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) has called on the National Anti-Doping Centre to focus on research as doping all over the world has gone so deep.
The Chairman, National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Major General Junaidu S. Bindawa (Rtd) made the call when he hosted the Management Staff of the National Anti-Doping Centre, led by its Executive Secretary, Mallam Mainasara Iloh on a courtesy visit to the Commission.
Major General Bindawa (Rtd) said the call became necessary because of the scientific nature of doping and illicit drugs all over the world, the need therefore for the centre to have a strong and functional laboratory in the country.
A statement from the Head, Press and Protocol, Emma Njoku quoted the Chairman as saying that the mandate of the Centre has became very vital if the country must achieve sanity in sporting activities.
In a remark, the Executive Secretary of National Anti-Doping Centre, Mallam Mainasara Iloh said in 1999, the Federal Government, because of the flow of money involve in sporting activities all over the world, there is the need to check illicit drugs and steroid in other to sanitize the sporting events in the country.
Mallam Iloh noted again that there is the need to reduce incessant deaths among men and women arising from the use illicit drugs and again to achieve fair play in the game, and ensure the use of natural talent for the integrity of the country.
The Executive Secretary said Nigeria was one of the first country in Africa to be a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and it has taken Nigeria 27 years to reach the level, through 16 Ministers and Heads of National Sports Commission, for the Anti-doping Act to be promulgated and accented to by the President, in January 2026.
He said one of the major responsibilities of the Centre is to ensure that athletes and sports men and women are deterred from the use of drugs and prohibited substances, to educate and inform them on the dangers of doping, and also test each and every person participating in sports at whatever level in Nigeria and at global levels.
Mallam Mainasara Iloh noted that Nigeria is the first country to formulate a policy on Anti-doping rules and regulations which has been submitted to the World Anti-doping Agency for vetting and final stage.
The National Anti-Doping Centre said through research, the Centre is going many steps ahead of the defaulters, especially as some drugs are masked in food supplements, baby doping, weighing and blood doping etc.
The Centre, according to the Executive Secretary has identified over two thousand illicit and prohibited drugs and steroids.
On that note NSIWC Boss, Major General Junaidu Bindawa (Rtd) assured the National Anti-Doping Centre that the Commission will look into the request of the Centre after evaluating its activities and research strength