The Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the Federal Ministry of Health have highlighted the need for the harmonisation of the Food Safety and Quality Bill to safeguard public health and improve the acceptability of Nigerian foods in global markets.
The experts and the stakeholders revealed their position on the bill at a review and harmonisation workshop for the Food Safety Quality Bill (2019) held on Thursday, according to statement by the NESG.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mahmuda Mamman, highlighted the importance of the bill, saying food safety stakeholders drafted the bill to protect the health of consumers and define the functions and parts of the federal, state and local governments to ensure food and safety risks are efficiently managed.
Mamman, represented by Taiye Ologun, noted that Nigeria currently operates a multi-agency food safety regulatory approach, which presents significant challenges, including the problem of multi-jurisdiction that results in loss of consumer confidence, leading to rejection of Nigerian foods in the international market.
He reiterated the bill’s importance in ensuring consumer health protection and improving the acceptability of Nigerian foods in the global market.
The facilitator of the NESG Agriculture and Food Security Policy Commission, Ms Gloria Ekpo, said the NESG supports the protection of the lives and health of Nigerians through the provision of safe foods, which is critical in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as safeguarding public health.
“The experts’ review will encourage collaborative rules to ensure food safety. As we dialogue and submit relevant opinions, we should proffer recommendations that will foster inclusion and promote regional and continental drive that ensures food safety,” Ekpo said.
