Cholera Outbreak Hits Ogun State, As Government Begin Verification Of Companies Producing Water, Beverages

By Akinwale Kasali

Following the Cholera Outbreak that hit the State leading to the death of at least 12 persons and to further curb its spread, Ogun State Government has announced its readiness to commence the verification process for the producers of table water and beverages in the State.

The Commissioner for Ministry of Environment, Ola Oresanya disclosed this on Sunday during a stakeholders meeting with the Table Water and Beverages Producers Association of Nigeria held at the Ministry’s Conference Hall, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

He said that the meeting was necessary for the agency to know those who are registered water producers complying with the process of water production.

Oresanya 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.

“The state will not tolerate any factory that is not ready to follow the due process of production, because you are registered or enlisted with NAFDAC does not mean that as a state we will not follow up with your production process to ensure that due diligence is done to avert health issues that can affect the lives of people living in the state,” Oresanya noted.

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.

The former Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, boss also stated that sanctions would be meted out to unscrupulous beings among the producers.

Speaking on behalf of the producers, Femi Olukoya and Lawan Shobiye assured of the Association’s readiness to cooperate and support the State Government in ensuring the health and lives of the people are optimally 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.