The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned bakers to desist from using quacks in fumigating their bakeries or face sanctions.
The Chief Regulatory Officer of the agency in Abia, Mr Udoekpo Ekpo, gave the warning in Aba on Thursday during a meeting with the Association of Master Bakers, Aba chapter.
Ekpo said that henceforth, the agency would be issuing fumigation certificates to bakers as certificates from non-professionals in fumigation would not be accepted from the bakers.
He said that the move was necessary to reduce the risk of contamination of food in the factory which could endanger the lives of bread consumers.
“We can no longer accept certificates for fumigation from quacks because only professionals know how to do the fumigation without contaminating the bakery.
“The fumigant must be prescribed with the volume and concentration known,” he said.
In her remarks, the Director, Environmental Health Services, Aba South Local Government Area, Mrs Nkechi Ocho, said using professionals collectively would reduce costs for them.
Ocho warned them against allowing rats and other pests to inhabit their factories, adding that rats had been implicated in the outbreak of diseases like Lassa fever.
She urged them to keep their environment clean to prevent transmission of diseases.
Ocho also told them to get clarification from the agency when faced with some fraudsters who posed as Environmental Health agents to extort money from them.
The National President of the Association of Master Bakers of Nigeria, Mr Simeon Abanulo, said that the meeting was important to remind them of what to do to keep them and their customers safe.
Abanulo promised that the association would comply with the regulatory rules for their operation to make life better for bread consumers and make the work of the regulatory agencies easy. (NAN)