Category: General News

Medical experts have raised concerns about the increasing recourse to artificial ripening of fruits by using chemical substances, saying this is detrimental to the health of people.
The experts, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews across some South West states and Kwara, called for concerted efforts to tackle the scourge.
A medical doctor, Dr Kunle Ashimi, said the Federal Government must put in place measures to particularly check the use of chemical substances for ripening fruits.
He told NAN in Abeokuta that such chemicals contain carcinogenic agents which cause cancer.
Ashimi described normal ripening of fruits as a natural process which makes the fruits edible, palatable and nutritious.
He noted that artificial ripening destroys the natural content of fruits.
“Naturally, fruits ripen after attainment of proper maturity by a sequence of physical and biochemical events and the process is irreversible, ultimately leading to senescence.

“Whether fruits ripen on the plant or after harvest, the general ripening changes associated with the ripening process are easily recognisable.

“During natural process of ripening, fruits soften, change colour and develop characteristic aroma and flavour.

“There is also a reduction in sourness (acids) and increase in the sweetness,” he said.

According to him, some of the fruits that sellers subject to artificial ripening include plantain, banana and mango.

The practice, he said, was often motivated by the desire to achieve higher volume of sales while ignoring the harmful health implications.

He warned that consumption of artificially ripened fruits could result in sleeping disorder, headache, memory loss, seizure, mouth ulcer, skin rashes, renal problems and even cancer.

“Calcium carbide is a major chemical used for artificial ripening of fruits and it is an industrial grade product which contains arsenic and lead participles.
“These toxic impurities affect the neurological system and reduce the oxygen supply to the brain,” he added.
Dr Mibaudeen Lawal, the Coordinator of Health and Environmental Basic Registry and Information System in Nigeria (BRISIN), also corroborated Ashimi’s position, warning of the risk of kidney diseases.
Lawal told NAN in Ilorin that other health challenges include gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, cardiac disturbance and depression.
He lamented that fruit sellers use calcium carbide, an industrial grade product, to ripen fruits quickly.
The doctor explained that calcium carbide contains traces of arsenic, lead particles and phosphorus hydride as impurities.
“These impurities may cause serious health hazards when workers come in direct contact with them while applying the ripening agents,’’ he said.
According to him, the acetylene released by calcium carbide has been found to affect the neurological system and reduces oxygen supply to the brain while inducing prolonged hypoxia.
He warned that pregnant women as well as children run the risks of having headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, mental confusion, memory loss, swelling in the brain caused by excessive fluids, sleepiness and seizure.
He added that some people may get stomach upset after eating carbide-ripened fruits.
The BRISN coordinator also urged the government and social health workers to sensitise fruit sellers and farmers on the dangers of artificially ripened fruits.
He also advised consumers to examine the fruits carefully in order to select the right fruit by observing the variation of colour.
“They should buy fruits only according to the season and wash the fruit thoroughly under running water before consumption,” he said.
A nutrionist, Miss Yinka Oroniran, identified bananas, oranges, pawpaw and mangoes as the most common fruits often ripened artificially.
She told NAN in Ibadan that although artificial ripening of fruits in dark places and air tight containers was an age long practice, some traders resort to the unhealthy practice of using chemicals for artificial ripening.
“Artificial ripening is done to achieve faster and more uniform ripening characteristics.

“Calcium carbide is the most commonly used chemical substance in fruit ripening.
“This chemical, although used in small amount for artificial ripening, contains carcinogens and are arsenic and phosphorus.
“This can severely damage the organ and also lead to health problems including vomiting, diarrhoea, headache and dizziness,” she said.
Oroniran also said that fruits ripened with calcium carbide are soft, taste differently or in some instances are even tasteless.
“Considering that artificial fruit ripening is common, it is important that fruits are thoroughly washed with salt water before consumption,’’ she said.
But in Osun, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamatu, said the state government was aware of the recourse to artificial ripening in the state and was sensitising residents on the health implications.
Isamatu warned that any fruit vendor caught in the act would be arrested and prosecuted.
The commissioner said health officers in the state had been moving around major markets in the state to check the activities of those who engage in such acts.
He called on stakeholders in the health sector to support the crusade against the use of chemicals for fruit ripening.

Similarly, a nutritionist, Mr Tosin Ojomu, urged the media do more in the campaign against artificial ripening of fruits, saying “many people do not know the effect of what is entering their body’’.

Ojomu told NAN in Akure that government must step up action against the trend due to the public health danger it poses.

Mr Olusola Adediji, the Chairman of the Joint Health Sector Union, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, also called on health authorities to move fast and tackle the scourge.

Adediji, a biomedical scientist in the Chemical Pathology Department of the centre, said use of chemicals in the fruit industry was being discouraged across the world.

“Use of calcium carbide in the fruit industry is being discouraged worldwide due to dangers of explosion as well as spreading of toxic substances such as arsenic and phosphorus to consumers.

“Since no any technical knowledge is considered necessary for its anomalous use, high quantity of calcium carbide is needed to ripen immature fruits and consequently making them tasteless,” he said.

Some fruit vendors, however, admitted selling artificially ripened fruits, but denied using chemicals in such quickening process.
Many of them blamed the trend on pressure by customers who often demand for ripe fruits at short notice.
One of the fruit vendors, Mrs Bunmi Olaleke, told NAN in Ado-Ekiti that any fruit harvested for sale could be preserved locally using thick but clean cloth as well as traditional cocoa bags or ashes.

In Ikere Ekiti, another vendor, Mrs Dayo Bamidele, argued that there was nothing wrong in ripening fruits, a practice which she said was common among farmers too before release to the markets.
She said the practice was common among farmers who grow plantain and banana in their urge to satisfy the high demand for the produce.
However, another fruit vendor in Ilorin, Mrs Joke Fajemisin, however, told NAN that she had never used artificial ripening in her trade.
Fajemisin said she was aware of the health implications of using carbide to ripen fruits before the due maturity day.
She said that her customers preferred to buy from her because of the trust they have that she would not use chemicals to induce ripening of fruits.
Fajemisin, however, agreed that some unscrupulous vendors use chemicals, particularly carbide to ripen fruits.
In Osogbo, many of the fruit vendors also denied the use of chemicals for ripening of fruits.
They told NAN in separate interviews that they buy their fruits ripe from distributors without knowledge as to whether chemicals were used to ripen the fruits.
Mrs Adedoyin Abioye, a fruit seller at Igbonna Market, said she had always warned her distributors against usage of chemicals for fruit ripening.
According to her, those who make use of chemicals do so secretly so as to avoid being caught.
A customer, Mrs Fadekemi Orilowo, admitted that she often purchases unripe fruits and carries out the ripening process in the comfort of her home.

But an Akure-based victim of artificially ripened fruits, who identified herself simply as Mrs Ope, said she and her three children vomited severally after eating African cherry bought at Shasha Market.

She said that the incident taught her a lesson to be cautious when buying fruits, urging that stiff punishment be put in place for those caught in the act. (NAN)

By Bridget Ikyado
The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, has cautioned youths against using social media platforms to insult and abuse elders because of political differences.
The Tor Tiv gave the advice in an oration during a special thanksgiving service in honour of Sen., Barnabas Gemade, on his 70th birthday celebration.
He said it was unfortunate and saddening the manner in which youths used social media platforms to insult elders without remorse.
“It has gotten so bad that even traditional rulers and kings are not left out in youth disrespect and mischief.’’
According to him, social media platforms are meant to accelerate development now that the world has been reduced to a global village.
Ayatse noted that such abuses and unguarded comments could bring about disunity and misunderstanding among people.
He stressed that all religions emphasised morality and abhorred indiscipline.
” Anyone who disrespects his elders will die, the Bible states it. The authorities warn and punish such acts; there is no room and it is unacceptable to disrespect your elders and those in authority, ” he said.
Some dignitaries at the ceremony were the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, Sen. Dino Melayi, Gov. Benedict Ayade of Cross Rives and Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue.
In their respective speeches, the dignitaries prayed for longer life, good health and elevation for Gemade and for peace to reign in Benue and Nigeria. (NAN)

By Emmanuel Mogbede

President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent official visit to China is already yielding positive results for Nigerians,  United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said.

Mr Ade Omole, leader of the chapter, said  this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that the President deserved commendation.

He stressed that the visit was already yielding results, especially with the assurances from the Joint Venture Partners handling the 3,050 Megawatts Mambilla Hydro-electric Plant project.

Omole added that the fact that work would commence on the project early in 2019 as assured by the contractors, was a good development that deserved praise.

He recalled that President Buhari received the assurance at a meeting with Prof Lyu Ze Xiang, the President of Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC), the construction company handling the project, in Beijing, China during the visit.

“Electricity is key to national growth and a major feature for business sustainability.

“We understand how critical the Mambilla project is to your country and we will take a serious look at it and ensure that it succeeds because of its social and economic importance.

“We fully understand the importance of this project to the economic and social well being of Nigeria,”Xiang had said during the visit,”

Omole noted that arrangements on the commencement of the project in early 2019 had reached advanced stage, adding that the APC-led Federal Government was doing everything possible to better the lives of Nigerians.

“The contractor had assured that pre-commencement work would begin with access to site and putting in place the necessary support infrastructure such as power, water and transportation,” he said.

He further said that when completed, the Mambilla Hydro-electric Plant would provide 3050 megawatts of electricity to Nigerians, thereby adding to the power grid for the country’s development.

NAN reports that President Buhari had asked for support from China at a meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping, for the country’s aspiration to build the 3050 Megawatts Mambila hydroelectric power project in Taraba.

This, followed the signing of $328m for the Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone Phase II (NICTIB II) project by the two countries.

The concessional loan agreement between Galaxy Backbone Limited and Huawei Technologies Limited (HUAWEI) was signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Finance Kemi Adesoun and Wang Xiaotoa, Director-General, International Development Agency, in the presence of Presidents of the two countries.

Nigeria and China had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR).(NAN)

Some fruit sellers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have attributed various reasons for using artificial methods to ripen fruits and vegetables.

The traders fielded questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the risks of using harmful chemical substances to induce fruits to ripen.

They identified economic factors as the major reason for indulging in such acts without recourse to the health implications of using calcium carbide.

Mr Sumaila Ahmed, a fruit seller in Abuja, told NAN that he was aware of many methods of ripening fruits, but the urge to make quick money was a factor driving them into using chemicals.

However, he said that he never took part in such acts.

Ahmed said, for instance, that if fruits were allowed to ripen naturally they would start spoiling before reaching their final destinations for sale.

According to him, he said it is difficult to differentiate fruits that ripened naturally from the ones that were forced with chemicals.

“The only way to differentiate between the natural one and the forced one is by opening them.

“If you open the forced one, you will discover that inside the fruit is not ripe but if you open the natural one, it will be ripe in and out.

“They use carbide to ripen fruits like banana, plantain or mango. They usually rap the carbide with a cloth and put it in the middle of the particular fruit and in few minutes the fruits will turn ripe.

“Although there are other methods I do not remember and I am not aware of any health implications of using harsh methods to ripen fruits but I have a feeling that it must be dangerous to health,” he said.

Malam Salisu Mustapha said some fruit sellers use hot water method and other ways “but I usually buy near ripe fruits to avoid complains and rejection from customers’’.

Mustapha noted that buying near ripe fruits was better because they would start ripening gradually and naturally on their own.

“The hot water method is not difficult because a friend thought me years back, although I tried the method a few times and it worked but it was stressful.

“When you get a bucket of hot water then you start deepening the fruits inside the water little by little and in couple of minutes the result will show, the fruits starts changing from unripe to ripe,” he said.

On his part, Mr Saidu Sani, another fruits seller, said another healthy method was covering of fruits with wrapper or wrapping fruits inside a bag to hasten their ripening period.

Sani said that the prices of the fruits were the same no matter the method used in ripening them.

He added that the fruits that were ripened with harsh methods last longer than the ones that ripe naturally.

“If you cover fruits like orange, mango, banana, plantain, avocado, etc, with wrapper, it will ripen faster.

“I have tried this method and it worked, but I don’t know if it has any health implication. I think government should take up the responsibility of educating fruits sellers on the dangers of suing chemicals.

“Although we have been advised by NAFDAC to stop the act, but more enlightenment is required because this is a regular method used by a so many fruit sellers,” he said.

A medical practitioner in Kaduna, Dr Nuhu Yusuf, has advised farmers and traders to stop using Calcium carbide for ripening fruits, saying it has adverse health effects.

Yusuf said calcium carbide is a corrosive and dangerous chemical containing traces of arsenic and phosphorus hydride as impurities.

“Mostly the fruits which are grown on orchards are sent to distant markets which sometimes take several days to reach in ordinary or refrigerated transportation.

“Usually, these fruits go through the ripening process in those markets before retailing. And for that, all that a trader has to do is to wrap a small quantity of Calcium Carbide in a packet of paper and keep this packet near a pile or box of fruits.
“Because of moisture content in the fruit, a chemical reaction takes place which releases heat and acetylene gas are produced, which rushes the ripening process.

“After which they are kept in ice for lowering the temperature and to develop the colour.

“However, fruits ripened with Calcium carbide are often soft and less tasty, and they also have a shorter storage life,’’ he said.

He listed early symptoms of arsenic and phosphorus poisoning to include diarrhoea (with or without blood), vomiting, thirst, weakness, burning sensation in abdomen and chest, difficulty in swallowing, irritation/burning sensation in eyes/skin, soar throat, cough, shortness in breathing and ulcer on skin.

He said consumption of fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide causes stomach upsets as the alkaline substance erodes the mucosal issues of the stomach and disrupts intestinal functions.

“It may affect neorological system by inducing prolonged hypoxia, i.e. low oxygen reaching the blood and tissues which causes headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, mental confusion, memory loss, cerebral oedema (swelling in the brain caused by excessive fluids), sleepiness and seizure, etc. Calcium carbide is known to have carcinogenic properties also,’’ said Yusuf.

According to him, naturally ripened fruits are attractive, but not uniformly coloured; weight per fruit good, aroma good; firmness fair, taste sweet, pleasant and shelf life longer.

“But fruits artificially ripened by calcium carbide are not very attractive, but uniformly coloured; weight per fruit fair; aroma mildly good; firmness fair; taste inner core sour, mildly pleasant; shelf life short, black blotches appear on the skin of the fruit in two to three days,’’ he said.

He therefore advised consumers not to buy fruits artificially ripened with calcium carbide because of their inherent health dangers.

He added that washing the fruits thoroughly for few minutes under running potable water to remove the chemical particles from its surface will help reduce its harmfulness.

“The fruits like mangoes and apple should preferably be cut into pieces before consumption instead of eating the same directly. As far as possible, the fruits should be peeled off before consumption,’’ Yusuf recommended.

Mrs Rebecca Musa, a consumer, said some customers are ignorant of such practices by fruits sellers since they cannot differentiate between artificial and natural ripening.

She noted that some fruit traders were using chemicals to speed up the ripening process so that they can cash-in immediately.

Mr Bala Usama, an environmentalist, suggested for a ban on or restriction of the procurement and selling of these chemicals to to curb the menace.

He also called for enlightenment of fruit traders and farmers on the health hazards and imbued with a sense of moral responsibility to the society.

He added that vigilance at the wholesale markets should be strengthened to stop the practice.
Malam Shuaibu Dembo, another consumer, advised governments to ban the use of artificial ripening for fruits.

“If the Government can ban using artificial ripening for fruits, the fruit traders will not use them and it will safeguard our health.’’

He said it was obvious that the practice of using calcium carbide was an unnatural practice, and when government is disapproving, the dealers cannot continue with this unhealthy practice.

And from Zamfara, a medical doctor with Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Gusau, Dr Manir Bukkuyum, told NAN that ripening of fruits chemically has harmful effects on the liver and other parts of the body.

Bukkuyum said that artificial fruits ripening using calcium carbide has high health risks potential because of carcinogen, a cancer producing chemical, irrespective of what quantity consume.

“It also contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus hydride which produces several acute and chronic health effects.

“The early symptoms of arsenic or phosphorus poisoning include vomiting, burning sensation in the chest and abdomen, diarrhoea, thirst, weakness, difficulty in swallowing,’’ he emphasised.

He said the chemical also results in irritation or burning of the eyes and skin, permanent eye damage, ulcers, irritation in the mouth, nose and throat.

He further said cough, wheezing and shortness of breath may also occur soon after exposure to the chemical.

“Eating artificially ripened mangoes causes stomach upset because the alkaline substance is irritant that erodes the mucosal tissue in the stomach and disrupts intestinal function. Prolonged exposure to the chemical could lead to peptic ulcer.’’

A fruits dealer in Gusau, Malam Sambo Adamu, said fruits nowadays were mostly ripened artificially to meet up the demand of consumers.

Adamu said fruits usually got damaged in the cost of transportation when ripe right from the tree which resulted to losses by the sellers.

He said the fruits which were grown on orchards were sent to distant markets which sometimes take several days to reach in ordinary transportation, adding these fruits go through the ripening process in those markets before retailing.

“And for that, all that a trader has to do is to wrap a small quantity of Calcium Carbide in a packet of paper and keep this packet near a pile or box of fruits.

“Because of moisture content in the fruit, a chemical reaction takes place which releases heat and acetylene gas are produced, which rushes the ripening process,’’ the trader said.

The Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Habib Yalwa, said the consequence of artificial ripening of fruits to human health was a source of concern to all.

Yalwa said most of the diseases caused by the ripening chemical were deadly, including cancer, liver damage and ulcers.

“We are at a greater risk of short-term as well as long-term health effects simply by eating artificially ripened fruits,” the permanent secretary said.

According to him, another agent which is used to artificially ripen fruits is Ethephon and considered better in terms of health effects.
He disclosed that plans are underway to establish coordination with ministry of agriculture in fighting the menace.
A consumer, Mr Aminu Abdullahi, fruits ripened with Calcium carbide were soft and less tasty, and they also have a shorter storage life. (NAN)
Reporters/MST

A medical doctor in Kano State, Dr Tijjani Haruna, has attributed poor academic performance among some students to phone addiction.
Haruna, who is working with the Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Kano, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Sunday.
“The mobile addiction that starts at an early age may lead to poor academic performance, skiving class, sleep disturbances and in more serious cases, to mental problems,’’ he said.
According to him, the ugly trend can make users prone to obesity, lack of concentration and other diseases.
He said that schools and the family have an important role to play in checking the ugly trend by preventing children from using mobile phones from childhood, before they become addicted to it.?
Some parents in Kano have also expressed concern over the addiction of youths in the use of smart phones, describing the menace as “disturbing and dangerous to their health”.
In separate interviews with NAN, they condemned the actions of most of the youths in the state addicted to cell phones.
Malam Ali Sadiq, a parent, lamented that “most of the youths who are in the age bracket of 18 to 35 years are addicted to smart phones, while few of them who are outside of this age bracket are also in the habit of using mobile phones anywhere they find themselves”.
Sadiq appealed to parents and other stakeholders in the state to educate their children on the dangers associated with persistent use of cell phones.
Another parent, Mrs Maimuna Bala, also expressed dismay over the “ugly trend” seriously distracting their studies and other activities.
“Many parents are out of touch with the dangers faced by their children on tablets and smart phones,” she said.
Mr Gabriel Adekoya, another parent, also said that youths between the ages of 18 and 30 in the area are the most affected because they over concentrate to their smart phones anywhere they go.
“Our youths nowadays are always glued to their phones, tapping away on WhatsApp, posting selfies or scrolling YouTube for the latest videos, some of them hardly relate directly with real people around them because of addiction,” Adekoya said.
Mr Abass Yusuf, an Electronics engineer in the city, said that you hardly see people ranging from youths and even some old people in the society without smart phones irrespective of the dangers of using such gadgets.
“These smart phones come with social media applications like Whatsapp and Facebook, people hardly spend half of the day without going through messages sent to them via Whatsapp and Facebook.
“The most annoying thing is people over concentrate by surfing through their smart phones while at places of work, eateries or places of worship,” Yusuf said.?
However, Dr Arikawe Adeolu, a Medical Practitioner, Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, advised Nigerians to develop good phone hygiene as the device has the capacity to hold millions of micro organism.
Adeolu told NAN that the mobile phone picks these micro organisms from frequency of use and where they are placed.
He said that research shows that micro organisms found on mobile devices were more than those found on toilet sits as constant use without cleaning meant an accumulation of bacteria.
Adeolu said that these micro organisms found on phones can be picked from anywhere as users place them on various surfaces, drop them on the ground and carry it with them when using the toilet.
He said that because the device was hardly ever cleaned by the users it retains these micro organisms which can subsequently put the user at risk for developing diseases.
The expert said that micro organisms found on phones can hardly be cleaned by simply dusting them.
He called for a more hygienic method of cleaning to keep the devices free from micro organisms and bacteria enabling a more healthier lifestyle.
“The phone is a very dirty device because it is one of the few things we hardly ever clean; we put it down and pick it up all the time, but never took our time to clean it.
“Some persons while going to use the toilet take their phones along with them and they drop it on the sink or other places in the toilet.
“When they are done, they pick it up and continue using it not knowing what bacteria the device has picked up.
“Research has shown that the micro organisms found on the phone are more than those picked on the toilet sit and this is something that should cause a major health concern to everyone.
“This is because the device is quiet a personal item to all users and it is used on a daily basis.
“The phone picks organisms and bacteria from everywhere. The fact that you pick it and drop it from one place to the other all the time is enough,” said the medical expert.
Adeolu explained that although this unhygienic lifestyle with the phone does not directly affect one’s health due to the integrity of the skin, an individual’s health could be affected if the same hands used in handling the phone is used to consume food.
He said that micro organisms injested could increase one’s risk of developing diseases especially in individuals who have weak or low immune system.
The expert advised that the phones be cleaned at least once every week with antiseptic wipes. (NAN)