By Damilare Adeleye
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down eighteen‘unregistered bakeries’ and ‘water factories’ in the Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The agency said the move was a decisive action against substandard and unregistered bakeries and water factories in the state.
It stated that during the three-day operation, its officials, supported by a detachment of police from Finima and Bonny divisional headquarters, closed down 10 bakeries and eight table water factories found to be producing fake and unwholesome products.
“Some of the shut-down factories were operating in unhygienic conditions and using popular brand names without proper authorisation.
“The operation was prompted by meticulous investigations, surveillance, and consumer complaints regarding substandard products in the area.
“Many of the bakeries lacked proper registration with NAFDAC, while others had expired licenses or had relocated without notifying the Agency.
“Additionally, some water factories were found to be operating without necessary filtration equipment and were not adhering to standard production processes,” the agency said.
NAFDAC consequently asked non-compliant producers to renew their licenses promptly and warned of consequences for those who flout regulations, underscoring its commitment to ensuring consumer safety and product quality in the country.