By Eric Ugbor

ABA—THE  Chief Regulatory Officer, NAFDAC, Abia office, Mr Udoekpo Ekpo has  warned bakers in Aba, Abia State to desist from fumigating their bakeries with quacks or risk sanctions.

Ekpo who gave the warning during an interview in Aba on NAFDAC’s meeting with members of Association of Master Bakers, Aba chapter said that “from now on, fumigation certificates from non-professionals in fumigation will not be accepted from the bakers.”

He said that the move was necessary to reduce the risk of contamination of food in the factories which could endanger the lives of bread consumers.

“We can no longer accept certificates for fumigation from quacks because only the professionals know how to do the fumigation without contaminating the bakery,” he said.

Addressing the bakers, the Director, Environmental Health Services, Aba South Local Government Area, Mr Nkechi Ocho said using professionals collectively would reduce cost for them.

Ocho warned against allowing rats and other pests to inhabit their factories, saying that rats have been implicated in the outbreak of diseases like Lassa fever.

She urged them to keep their environment clean always in order not to transmit diseases to the public through their products.

Ocho also told them to get clarification from her office when faced with some fraudsters who claim to be government agents in the bid to extort the bakers in the name of Environmental Health agents.

The National President, Association of Master Bakers of Nigeria, Sir Simeon Abanulo said that the meeting was important to remind them of what to do to keep them and their customers safe.

He promised that the association would comply with the regulatoryrules for their operation to make life better for bread consumers and make the work of the regulatory agencies easy.