A renowned industrialist, Chief Tunde Badmus, has charged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to do more in ensuring that food items imported into the country are safe for consumption.
Badmus, who is the Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, including Edo and Delta, said expired foreign rich and chicken preserved with chemical are being imported into the country and that they are very injurious to the health of citizens.
Speaking with Daily Trust in Osogbo, the industrialist urged SON and NAFDAC to ensure that local rice and other food items locally produced in the country also meet standard to discourage Nigerians from consuming imported foods.
“The foreign rice they are bringing to Nigeria is about three to four years old whereas the rice is meant to be consumed within one year.
“They would withdraw it from market once it is more than a year because they would not consume expired rice in their own country. Same with chicken. The chicken they imported to Nigeria is being preserved with Formalin which is injurious to the health of the citizens of this country,” he said.
Badmus urged relevant government agencies to ensure proper monitoring of the production and supply of locally produced food items to ensure that they are of same quality with the imported foods so as to boost their acceptability in the markets.
