The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has taken decisive action by shutting down two sachet water factories in Owerri due to their failure to maintain hygienic conditions.
During a routine inspection conducted on Friday in the capital city of Imo State, NAFDAC identified and shut down Elmabo Table Water and Sylchap Enterprise Table Water. Another factory, Giver Table Water, received a caution for minor infractions.
Imo NAFDAC Coordinator, Mrs. Mercy Ndukwe, spoke with journalists following the enforcement actions, stating that the closures were necessitated by substandard manufacturing practices. Ndukwe emphasized, “We have summoned the operators to the NAFDAC office with their licenses for thorough verification.”
She expressed the agency’s disappointment with the unsanitary conditions observed at the facilities. “NAFDAC requires a minimum of four to five rooms for small-scale water production operations. Initially, these factories met the requirements, but many have since repurposed the rooms for residential and other business uses,” Ndukwe explained.
Highlighting the health risks, Ndukwe warned that diseases such as cholera could emerge from such unhygienic environments if not addressed promptly. She noted that, three weeks prior, NAFDAC had instructed the state’s water association to halt operations for two days to allow for comprehensive cleaning and sanitation to prevent a cholera outbreak.
“Despite our directive, it is disheartening to observe the continued unhygienic conditions in which these factories operate,” Ndukwe remarked. She urged other water producers to proactively sanitize their premises and ensure compliance with NAFDAC regulations. “Our goal is not to close businesses but to ensure that Nigerians have access to safe and hygienic food and water,” she asserted.
To support this objective, Ndukwe announced that NAFDAC is willing to offer free training sessions on best practices for table water production to factory operators in the state.
This enforcement action was carried out in partnership with the Imo House of Assembly Committee on Health and Environment and the state chapter of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP).
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