NAFDAC pledges crackdown on drug hawkers, fruit ripeners using carbide

  • says 200,000 Nigerians die annually from contaminated food

Amid reports that no fewer than 200,000 Nigerians, including children under five, die yearly from contaminated foods, the National Agency for Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), has pledged its resolve  to prosecute drug hawkers and individuals involved in unsafe fruit ripening practices. 

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, highlighted the serious healthcare challenges posed by drug hawking during a media workshop in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The NAFDAC D.G who was Represented by the Director, of Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr Leonard Omopariola, said drug hawkers constitute a serious threat to national unity, stressing that offenders will be prosecuted and face jail terms.

The Director of the Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate at NAFDAC, Eva Edward expressed concerns about the use of harmful substances like sniper, calcium carbide, and paracetamol to soften and preserve grains. 

She urged the public to report any unsafe or unethical practices to NAFDAC for necessary regulatory actions. 

Additionally, she emphasized that the consumption of foods high in sodium, salt, and free sugars has become a serious concern.

The NAFDAC Director of Public Affairs, Dr Abubakar Jimoh emphasized the need for stringent regulations to address the dangers of drug hawking. 

Furthermore, the state coordinator of NAFDAC in Oyo state, Mr. Matthew Adeoye, called on law enforcement agencies, Nigerian journalists, and well-meaning citizens to support their vision of protecting and promoting public health.

The agency vows to prosecute drug hawkers and those involved in ripening fruits using harmful substances like calcium carbide. 

NAFDAC emphasizes the importance of reporting unsafe practices and highlights the serious threats posed by drug hawking. 

About author

You might also like

Ghana becomes 1st to get COVAX COVID-19 vaccines in Africa

600,000 Oxford-AstraZeneca doses arrive  Accra Ghana has received a historic first shipment of 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility.    Ghana is the first country to

Tinubu appoints Chief Medical Directors for six federal hospitals

Prof. Olusegun Ojo heads new Federal Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State President Bola Tinubu has appointed six Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) for Federal Government-owned hospitals in Akure, Gombe, Azare, Lafiya,

BVNL partners South Africa’s Biovac to strengthen vaccine initiative for Africa

Swift from the recent inauguration of the Board of Biovaccines Nigeria Limited (BVNL) last month, the BVNL has “hit the ground running”. The BVNL team paid a working visit to,

0 Comments

No Comments Yet!

You can be first to comment this post!

Leave a Reply