NAFDAC shuts 10 water factories in Ondo


 

Akure ---------l National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has sealed 10 packaged water companies in Ondo State over alleged non-compliance with the regulation and standards in the production of the products.

Ondo State Coordinator,  NAFDAC,  Benu Philip, spoke in an interview with reporters on Sunday in Akure, saying the affected companies, had there premises sealed between January and June this year.

Philip noted  that all the affected companies were operating with expired licences and producing in an unhygienic environment.

According to him, “In addition to locking the facilities, the companies will pay an administrative charge for late renewal of their registration licence and submit necessary documents for the renewal process."

Philip further said the licences issued were not forever, pointing out that renewal periods should be sustained to avoid regulatory interruption, even as he advised Nigerians to always look out for the NAFDAC registration number on sachet and bottled water, batch information as well as  date markings.

His words, “Our mandate, specifically, is to ensure, regulate and control the manufacturing of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and chemicals, which we refer to as regulated products.

“What we do in Ondo State majorly is to engage the stakeholders to keep them abreast of our mandate, to ensure that they follow the rules.

“Most of the packaged water, popularly called “pure water”, that I know of in Ondo State since I came on board, have been operating with expired licence.

“The licence is the marketing authorisation that enables you to sell your product in the market as verified and safe for consumption.

“Once you have that number on your certificate, it shows that you have gone through the regulatory processes to ensure that you make safe products to the consuming public but it is not forever; it has a timeline."

He further stressed that the NAFDAC would continue to collaborate with other agencies to ensure its set goals and targets were always met.