NIGERIA – The National Agency For Food And Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) has committed to intensify surveillance of production processes in different factories, as part of measures to enhance safety compliance in the production of table water in Bayelsa State.
The state Director of NAFDAC, Mr. Ihekire Chucks, who announced this during the agency’s inspection tour of some table water companies urged the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) to step up the level of health safety compliance in production process with NAFDAC for maximum performance.
Daily Trust reports that most residents of Bayelsa State derive drinking water from bottled water sources as the state water company is not functional at the moment, coupled with pollution of other sources of water by oil exploration.
Mr. Ihekire Chucks, Bayelsa State Director, NAFDAC, said the water producing companies in the state were complying to international standards in terms of treatment facility, UV light, micro filters, coding, Reverse Osmosis (RO) and other materials needed for production of table waters.
He however noted that ensuring full compliance was still a work in progress, adding that the agency would ensure Production Managers supervise the production process.
“Though, it is not yet uhuru for the producers, and for us as a body, we will keep on doing our best to make sure that water factories comply with the directive of NAFDAC. We want to make sure that if Bayelsans buy any table water, it’s a safe for drinking,” Chucks said.
He informed that there are scientific reasons behind the size variation in water filters.
“It’s very important that some of the biological contaminants are clear from the water so that we can actually get clean table water we deserve. Those producing must keep to the dictate of NAFDAC, because we are safeguarding the health of the nation. We must make sure that people drink clean waters at all times,” he said.
NAFDAC has over the years sustained the activities of enlightening the citizens and also sustained the activities of inspection, monitoring and sanctions. This has helped in curbing the problem of fake products or expired water in the state, said Chucks.
ATWAP Chairman in Bayelsa State, Chris Ace Erefinyo, patted NAFDAC on the back for doing its best to ensure table water producers adhere to standards and regulations guiding the industry.
He informed that ATWAP also does self-regulation to ensure that all their members maintain good manufacturing practices (GMP) and adhere strictly to all the standards given to them by NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies.
Besides table water producers, NAFDAC also visited supermarkets in the state for inspection and did a follow up on bakers to ensure they don’t use additives like potassium bromate which is believed to be carcinogenic.
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