By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned frozen food dealers to stop the sale and distribution of unregistered and prohibited products.
The agency made this announcement on Friday during a one-day sensitisation programme at Kado Fish Market in Abuja.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said that the importation and distribution of banned products must stop to support local farmers and producers of frozen food.
Adeyeye was represented by Mr Kenneth Azikiwe, the Director in charge of the FCT Directorate.She reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to eliminating the illegal production, distribution, and sale of unregistered packaged food, water, and other regulated products.
She noted that the initiative aims to safeguard public health, particularly during the festive season.She said, “This sensitisation programme is designed to ensure good storage and distribution practices in the market because properly stored food products maintain quality before consumption.
“We are here at Kado Fish Market, the largest fish market in North-Central Nigeria, to ensure that frozen chicken, fish, and meat products are appropriately stored and safe for public consumption”.
She urged market association members to prioritise purchasing locally manufactured and NAFDAC-registered frozen products to ensure quality and safety for consumers.Adeyeye warned that violators of the Federal Government’s ban on the importation of frozen chicken, turkey, and catfish would face strict enforcement measures.
The Chairman of the Frozen Food Sellers Association at Kado Fish Market, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed, welcomed the sensitisation programme and pledged the association’s support for NAFDAC’s regulations.
He assured the agency that members would comply with the policies to promote the well-being of Nigerians.Mohammed, however, appealed to NAFDAC to enforce its policies with fairness and compassion.In a related development, NAFDAC has conducted inspections of water production factories in the FCT.
The inspection is to ensure compliance with hygienic standards and good manufacturing practices among sachet and table water producers.
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