An outbreak of cholera in Ogun State, South West Nigeria has killed 12 people so far.
Now, the Government’s Ministry of Environment is about to start the verification for the manufacturers of table water and other consumer products in the state. This action is to curb the spread of the cholera cases in the state.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ola Oresanya made a statementt available to the media on Sunday. In it, he disclosed that he had a meeting with the Table Water and Beverages Producers Association of Nigeria. The meeting was held at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Mr Oresanya said that the meeting was necessary for the agency to know those who are registered water producers who are complying with the process of water production.
He said it became necessary to monitor the hygienic process of producing water products and ensure that they meet the required standard for human consumption, to avert health hazards that could affect the lives and well-being of the people.
According to him, the Ministry will collaborate with NAFDAC, the Ministries of Health and Industry, Trade, and Investment to ensure compliance with the hygienic process of production while periodic on-the-spot assessments will be done to fish out the bad eggs among the producers.
Mr. Oresanya also stated that sanctions would be imposed on guilty ones among the producers
Speaking on behalf of the producers, Mr Femi Olukoya and Lawan Shobiye assured of the association’s readiness to cooperate and support the state government to ensure the health of the people are protected in line with the hygienic production process of producing table and sachet water as regulated by NAFDAC and other agencies.
They both stressed that the association would not hesitate to report any of its members who are not complying with regulated rules backing the production processes and putting the lives of the
people in grave danger with diseases like cholera.
