The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and other partners have called on the federal government to gazette the fats and oils regulation, 2021.
Executive Director of CAPPA, Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi, made the call on Monday in Abuja at a press briefing to commemorate the World Food Day 2022, with the theme: ‘Leave No One Behind’.
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Oluwafemi said the gazetting of the fats and oils regulation, would put in place an effective implementation framework of the regulation for the good of Nigerians.
He said, “With our committed and collective efforts as a coalition, we have been able to work with the NAFDAC the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Justice, and other MDAS with roles to play in getting us to this point and restate our resolve to defeat our common enemy-Trans Fat, through the gazette and implementation of the Fats and Oils Regulations.
“The mandatory regulation which would come into force upon the gazetting of the regulation, along with other instruments, would expand the access of Nigerians, regardless of their social status to healthy food. It will also impact greatly on the health cost incurred by individuals who would have been exposed to unhealthy food and its debilitating impacts.
“For emphasis, combating cardiovascular diseases is beyond behavioural change as the burden of these diseases needs conscious effort from the government to reduce its incidences. In the interim however, we urge Nigerians to be circumspect and avoid the consumption of Trans-Fatty foods which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.”
On their parts, the Project Adviser for TFA Elimination, Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Dr. Jerome Mafeni and Nigeria Food and Nutrition Coordinator, Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), Joy Amafah, said that it is important that Nigeria to prioritise the well-being of majority of its citizens.
