The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is in possession of information that some unscrupulous traders are marketing fake Milo drinks in Bauchi State. It has, therefore, embarked on the exercise to find out the person’s connected with this act to ensure that the health of consumers of the product is not endangered. The action of the agency includes an inspection of markets in the state to eliminate the circulation of the product and make the brains behind it answerable to the law.
Paul Kamai, the NAFDAC director in Bauchi, on Wednesday stated that the exercise is being conducted in response to a directive from the agency’s headquarters, as part of a nationwide effort to protect consumers from fake products.
“The NAFDAC office began the inspections in markets and superstores to get rid of the fake Milo in circulation following a directive from the Headquarters,” Kamai said
As part of efforts to do a seamless process without upsetting the legal business at the markets, Kamai said the agency has planned a meeting with leaders in the state. However, that is not the only exercise that NAFDAC is undertaking in Bauchi state. It is also doing an awareness campaign with leaders of the agro-chemical dealers’ association to address the harmful effects of certain chemicals on food.
He emphasised the dangers of using banned substances like Dictholoruvis and Paraquat for food storage, particularly as the harvest season approaches.
“In Bauchi, we will engage the dealers of Agro chemicals against the use of Dictholoruvis and Paraquat chemicals to store food as we approach harvest period.
“These are dangerous chemicals that have been banned over time,” he said while stressing the need for safe food preservation methods.
Kamai also urged bakers and packaged water producers in Bauchi to ensure their licences are renewed within the designated two-year period to avoid potential business disruptions due to non-compliance. He further encouraged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to obtain NAFDAC registration for their products to gain access to the broader Nigerian market.
