By Ayo Fadimu
The National Agency for Food and Drug and Control (NAFDAC) has warned producers of its regulated products in Rivers to strictly abide by guidelines of the regulatory body.
The agency gave the warning in a statement by the coordinator of the agency in Rivers, Pharm Chinelo Ejeh, and made available to journalists on Saturday in Abuja.
Ejeh gave the warning in Port Harcourt after the raids of unregistered bakeries at Aboloma road area of the metropolis and some packaged water factories in the state capital.
“The raid became necessary following a tip-off by concerned citizens about the products,” Ejeh said.
The coordinator said that producers of NAFDAC regulated products must follow the standards of the regulatory body or be ready to face the full wrath of the law.
“At Fimie Market, Aboloma, NAFDAC team of officers accompanied by policemen from Rivers State Police Command confiscated a large quantity of unregistered Nourish Delight Bread and doughnut as they were being sold to the public.
“A 33-year-old woman, Mercy Eloka was arrested in connection with the production of the unregistered products.
“The team also raided a sachet water factory; Obiriezi Global Resources located at First Odums Street, off East West Road, Rumuchakara, Choba, Port Harcourt.
“The factory was operating in a substandard facility with poor filtration equipment, altered production flow while packaged water were being packed on bare floor,” Ejeh said.
She added that the company was also found to be producing with expired license and with the name of the sachet water as ‘Resources Table water’ instead of ‘Nedu Table water’ which the company registered with NAFDAC.
The coordinator said that, the sachet water company was also caught with a fictitious registration number, adding that, the NAFDAC team was able to arrest a female worker, Jennifer Godwin, 25.
She said that the team destroyed bags of unwholesome sachet water produced for sale by the outfit.
The coordinator, therefore, solicited the support of the general public by availing the agency with the clandestine activities of unscrupulous producers who are out to endanger public health.