The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a stern warning to frozen food dealers, urging them to cease the sale and distribution of unregistered and prohibited products. This announcement was made on Friday during a one-day sensitization program held at Kado Fish Market in Abuja. NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, emphasized the need to stop the importation and distribution of banned frozen foods to support local farmers and producers.
Represented by Mr. Kenneth Azikiwe, the Director in charge of the FCT Directorate, Prof. Adeyeye reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to combating the illegal production, distribution, and sale of unregistered packaged food products, as well as regulated items like water. She highlighted that this sensitization program aimed to promote proper storage and distribution practices in the market, ensuring that frozen foods such as chicken, fish, and meat products remain safe for public consumption.
The Director-General stressed that properly stored food products maintain their quality, ensuring they are safe for consumers. She encouraged market association members to prioritize purchasing locally manufactured and NAFDAC-registered frozen foods, which meet the agency’s safety standards. NAFDAC’s focus on promoting the sale of local products comes in response to the ongoing Federal Government ban on the importation of frozen chicken, turkey, and catfish.
Adeyeye issued a stern warning that violators of this ban would face strict enforcement measures. The Chairman of the Frozen Food Sellers Association at Kado Fish Market, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed, welcomed the program and pledged the association’s full support for NAFDAC’s regulations. He assured the agency that market members would adhere to the policies to promote public health and consumer safety. However, Mohammed also appealed to NAFDAC to enforce its policies with fairness and compassion.
In a related effort, NAFDAC has been conducting inspections of water production factories in the FCT to ensure compliance with hygienic standards and good manufacturing practices. This inspection is part of NAFDAC’s ongoing efforts to regulate the production of sachet and table water, ensuring that all water products meet the required safety and health standards for consumers.
