Ebun Francis
Mrs Oluremi Oni, the Acting Director-General, Nigerian Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has advised exporters of food products in the Country to ensure proper certification to avoid such products from being rejected in the international market.
The Acting NAFDAC DG spoke to newsmen on Wednesday at the sideline of the maiden edition of the Nigeria Food Safety and Investment Forum.
According to her, Nigerian products including nuts and seeds used by the snacks and bakery industries had been refused entry into European countries in the last two years despite the efforts put in place by relevant government agencies to ensure indigenous producers enjoy favourable patronage in the international market.
She said: “If you look at the gathering of people at the high table, today, you find ministry of agric there you wonder why Agric is there, you wonder why they are there; science and technology is there, because they are going to give us the technology and equipment to use.
“Why is health there; food and health go together; there is also trade and investment.
“All of us are now collaborating, working together, because it’s a value chain from the farm; beyond the table because you are going to export.
“And so if you are going to export you need to carry NAFDAC along.
“We analyse your product in the lab and ensure it’s of the right quality and issue you appropriate certificate to that effect.
“The Ministry of Agriculture also have its own arm of quarantine that also does that and issues a certificate.
“What you find out is that those products that have those two certificates don’t get rejected.
“The ones that are rejected are the ones that are smuggled and never pass through NAFDAC.
“So there is need for sensitisation and awareness amongst all of us and Nigeria will be a better place for us.’’