By Sola Ogundipe
FOLLOWING the closure of the Ilupeju branch of Sweet Sensation Confectioneries by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control, (NAFDAC), many fast food outlets in Lagos are taking measures to comply with standard sanitation and environmental regulations.
A number of the outlets visited last week had stepped up effort to meet the minimum regulation for water supply, food preparation/ storage and general hygiene standards.
The fast food outlet shut by the Agency had run foul of regulatory laws by operating under unhygienic conditions likely to compromise the health of its customers, a development that compelled NAFDAC to threaten to close down any fast food outlet that fails to comply with best practices and stipulated hygienic standards.
Confirming the closure of the defalting food outlet, Dr. Paul Orhi, Director General, NAFDAC, restated the Agency’s determination to enforce safety and quality requirements for all NAFDAC regulated products and processes.
“We would partner with the Consumer Protection Council and other relevant Agencies to intensify the monitoring of the activities of all fast food outlets nationwide to ensure that foods are prepared under hygienic conditions.”
He said NAFDAC resolved to carry out routine inspections of fast food outlets across the country, because of the realisation that the outlets had come to occupy an important place in the country due to increased urbanization.
“We know that fast foods may be delicious and convenient, but they may also be a source of public health concern if the food is prepared under unhygienic or insanitary conditions.
He said the Agency on inspection of the closd fast food outlet, discovered it was operating under very unhygienic conditions. According to him, NAFDAC inspectors were shocked to discover that the source of water was a borehole located close to an underground concrete sewage and there was no proper water treatment.
“The storage condition of the ready to eat food was inadequate. It was observed that the company was using a ceramic bath tub for mixing dough for their pastries.
“The company’s kitchen windows and doors were not netted to protect the premises from pests such as rats, cockroaches and flies. The general sanitation of the premises was appalling.
“Plates were stalked close to the open drains and exposed to microbial contamination which could lead to food poisoning. The very poor sanitary condition of the premises, obvious lapses in hygienic practices and food handling that would compromise health of consumers led to immediate closure of the outlet.”
I think it is very important to examine this article before jumping into conclusions. First of all, there has been a mass over exaggeration on the path of the government agency and an utter lack of evidence to support their claims. Making such severe accusations should come with proof of these allegations. In my opinion, and based on the history of government agencies, I sense some foul play in this matter. If these situations were really as bad as they are being presented, why do we not have pictures and videos to support the accusations? In an ideal situation, pictures should have been taken and printed along side with the articles in order to meet the burden of proof.
Sweet sensation has refuted these claims and intends to get to the bottom of the situation. As you can imagine, a company who is being accused of such unthinkable things is usually silenced by the strength of government. There has been NO record of any previous sanitation violations of the company. In fact the agency in question has visited several outlets since the release of this article, and has had to admit that the situations in other outlets are above and beyond the sanitation requirements.
I am a loyal customer of the fast food eatery and just happen to know a little more than meets the eye. I want to encourage everyone who hears these things to kindly examine the truth bend it. Why do we not have pictures? Why won’t the agency release proof to back up their claims? Why are they just finding out these things? Is there any political agenda here? It is very important to ask yourself these questions before jumping into conclusions.
Borehole close to septic tank? How far is the borehole from the septic tank where the NAFDAC boss himself lives? Does the NAFDAC boss not know that boreholes are deep and septic tanks are not, and the boundary material and borehole depth are key considerations in the citing of boreholed. I would be impressed if NAFDAC had produces water quality evidence that seepage from the septic enters the water source. But then, this is Nigeria. Orhi acted irresponsibly and this is a shame for the administration of President YarArdua.
Osahon
NAFDAC’s focus on fast foods is understandable. However, its heavy-handed approach to Sweet Sensation, when the nation itself has undefined standards that are ofter inconsistent with state standards, is reprehensible. If a fast food operator is not in compliance, steps should be taken to mitigate the problem before calling a press conference. This is another indication that the current leadership og niigeria is dysfunctu=ional. The appointment of Orhi himself, a lightweight in food and drug agency management, is another indicator of this dysfunctionality.
It appears that Orhi is trying to make a name for himself. I hope that the food industry will request that he appoints a liason person to inform the industry about the federal standards and dmonstrate the process tha led to such standards.
Paul