The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has sealed off 10 sachet water factories in Port Harcourt for flouting the agency’s regulations.
The Rivers State Co-odinator of NAFDAC, Mr. Bolakale Ayinde, said the operation which was carried out in conjunction with the Association of Water Producers, was targeted at putting an end to the activities of unregistered and fake sachet water producers in the state.
Speaking with our correspondent shortly after the operation on Wednesday, Ayinde, explained that the Agency discovered that some sachet water producers in Obio/Akpor local government area, were operating under terrible unhygienic conditions.
He noted that the erring producers were operating without the agency’s licence, attaching fake NAFDAC numbers to their products.
Also the agency on the same Wednesday, commenced the trial of an errant bread baker, Mr. Afolabi Nurudeen, before the federal High court in Osogbo in Osun State for allegedly obstructing officials of the Agency from performing their duties.
According to the charge sheet, Afolabi committed an offence under section 25(1) of the NAFDAC Act, Cap 1 Law of the federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under section 25 (1) of the same Act. Ayinde, who is also the Assistant Director in the Agency, said NAFDAC would not accept a situation where producers sold unwholesome sachet water to unsuspecting members of the public.
He pointed out that the activities of illegal sachet water producers were becoming worrisome, adding that the agency has put measures in place to check the excesses of manufacturers of the products.
Ayinde said NAFDAC’s partnership with the Association of table water producers was to encourage self-regulation and ensure that recalcitrant illegal producers are arrested and prosecuted, while their machines are confiscated.
“The agency is determined to bring sanity into the industry to safeguard the lives of consumers,” he added.
Also, the state ATWAP chairman, Engr. Alex Erekosima, expressed gratitude to the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhil, for his recent directive that all package sachet water producers must belong to the association. ###
Jeff Oguike
