FG urges MDAs to collaborate with private sector to ensure food safety


 The Minister‎ of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, has urged all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to collaborate with the private sector to ensure safety of food from farm to table.
The minister gave the advice at a stakeholder’s validation workshop‎ for the review of the draft food safety bill and institution reforms organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Tuesday in Abuja.
‎Adewole was presented by Mr Fubara Chuku, National Coordinator, Food and Safety Programme Department of Food and Drugs Services in the ministry.
The minister said that the National Policy on Food Safety and its implementation strategy was a starting point in ensuring that the country has a modernised food safety regulatory framework.
Adewole said it was important that all extant laws across various federal and state MDAs were updated and harmonised in line with international best practices.
"The Federal Ministry of Health places great importance on food safety as a way to ensure that wholesome food products are consumed and traded within and outside the country.
"It is essential therefore that MDAs at national and state levels need to work together with the private sector to ascertain the safety of food from farm to table," he said.
Adewole said in spite of the progress made over the last three years, the country still had a lot of grounds to cover to get to the point where it would benefit from food safety institutional reforms.
The minister assured the participants and all ‎stakeholders of government support in ensuring a better food safety system in the country to reduce the burden of food borne illnesses.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh said the ministry was interested in achieving food safety for both human and animals‎ and for local and international trading.
Represented by Dr Maimuna Habib, Deputy Director, Mycotoxicologist, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), he said that all proposed policies and regulations in Nigeria must pass through the National ‎Assembly for approval.
According to him, the assembly will ensure that all stakeholders are carried along for the benefit of the country.
In her remarks, the Country Representative,‎ FAO in Nigeria, Ms. Louise Setshwaelo, ‎said that the food safety project was very important to the organisation.
Represented by Dr Jean Kamanzi, FAO's Regional Food Safety and Quality Officer for Africa‎, she said series of technical consultations had been made before arriving at the variation stage‎.
She said it was the best way to go‎ as some countries with lacks in their food control system‎ have embarked on ensuring adequate safety.
"What we expect from this technical gathering will ensure the hamonisation of Nigerian food system to meet international standard‎," she added. 

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