By Habibu Harisu
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Sokoto State Office, has sanctioned 142 business premises and production industries for various offences including sale of counterfeits and adulterated products.
The State Coordinator, NAFDAC, Mr Hamis Yahaya, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Sokoto.
He explained that 29 of the culprits were bakeries using banned bromide substance and others were producers of sachet water, medicine stores and shops.
Yahaya said the state office partnered with other law enforcement agencies on code compliance of products, routines inspections and surveillance raids, noting that NAFDAC conducts sensitisation campaigns at public places and schools in metropolis and local government areas.
He explained that the state office has been educating public on the dangers of consuming counterfeits and adulterated products, adding that interactive meetings with stakeholders were also being conducted periodically.
The coordinator commended Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) for handing over consignment of Tramadol seized at the Nigerian border when a group tried to smuggle it into the country.
According to him, similar efforts were made in the past, saying that Nigerians should refrain from consuming Tramadol with 225mg and 200mg content as they are dangerous to health.
He said the product regulation content in Nigeria is 50mg and any content higher than that was counterfeit not suitable to regulated control production in Nigeria.
Yahaya added the agency enjoyed cordial working relationship with agro-allied foods and Veterinary medicine producers and dealers in the state as they were always prompt on adjusting to required control regulations at all times.
He pointed out that agro-allied foods and medicine producers and dealers should ensure proper production guidelines, have best storage systems and adhere to expiry date control and other regulations binding on the practices.
On exclusive breastfeeding, the coordinator said he led team to educated mothers at hospitals, nursing homes and orphanages across the state and advised parents to adhere to exclusive breastfeeding practice to ensure healthy children.
He also cautioned parents against patronising all forms of milk for their infants and urged people to always read content value, production and expiry dates, location of manufacturer and registration numbers of all products before buying.
Yahaya also advised people to always pour water, juice and other watery consumables in a cup before drinking, stressing that such practice would allow consumer to identify contamination and other physical contents presence in the product.
He called on people to always report any anomalies detected to NAFDAC office or nearest authorities for action, saying that safeguarding public health should be a collective responsibility of all citizens.
The coordinator said one codeine abuse related case and only two consumers complains on sachet water were recorded on bad or suspicious products this year.
Yahaya urged the people to cultivate the habit of reporting any products suspected to be counterfeit or adulterated to the agency. (NAN)
