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‘Sniper Causes Cancer, Deaths’, NAFDAC Warns Against Use For Food Preservation

Published

4 months ago

June 2, 2024

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has once again warned Nigerians about the hazardous practice of using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items.

Specifically, the agency has banned and emphasized the dangers associated with dichlorvos, a chemical commonly utilised by traders to safeguard food from spoilage.

In a statement signed by Resident Media Consultant to NAFDAC, Sayo Akintola on Sunday, the agency showed concerns over the recent viral video showing individuals using dangerous chemicals to preserve food items like beans, stockfish, and crayfish.

“The sale of small volume dichlorvos (100 ml or less), sold as Sniper® has been banned since 2019 while the sale of the large volume (one litre) is limited to certified agrochemicals outlets. NAFDAC underscores the toxicity of dichlorvos to human health, cautioning that its use can have fatal consequences.”

The Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, urged traders and merchants to desist from using unauthorized chemicals on food meant for human consumption.

She said: “The misuse of dichlorvos poses significant risks to human health, manifesting in both short-term and long-term consequences. Long-term exposure can result in severe health implications, including developmental abnormalities in offspring, memory loss, reduced fertility, and potential carcinogenic effects.

“These adverse effects highlight the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to mitigate the risks associated with dichlorvos exposure.”

Similarly, the Director of Veterinary Medicine and Applied Products (VMAP), Dr Rametu Momodu, reiterated that using certain chemicals, especially pesticides, to protect grains and prevent beans from having weevils is not approved.

She explained that there are approved pesticides for use as fumigants, which should be used according to the manufacturer’s specifications on the product label.

She stressed that these products should not be applied directly to food due to their inherent dangers to human health.

Momodu further elaborated that consuming food contaminated with dichlorvos can cause dizziness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, tremors, and convulsions, and in some cases, can lead to coma and death.

She warned that once used, pesticide residues remain on or in the food, posing significant health risks. Washing the food does not mitigate the risk, as the harmful substance would have already soaked into it.

She emphasised that the Agency cannot recommend washing as a solution, as it gives a false sense of security.

“Instead, she urged grain merchants, market vendors, and farmers to adhere strictly to manufacturer guidelines and refrain from directly applying dichlorvos to beans and other foodstuffs. It should be used as intended, either as a field crop treatment or a fumigant, to ensure food safety”, she said.

Momodu also advised consumers to avoid buying from vendors known to use such practices and to report them to the nearest NAFDAC office for appropriate sanctions.

NAFDAC DG, Adeyeye further emphasized alternative methods for preserving food, mentioning the use of bio-pesticides as a safer option than dichlorvos.

She noted that food remaining unspoiled for an extended period might indicate pesticide contamination rather than freshness unless stored in the refrigerator.

In addition to the banning of the 100 ml size bottle, the NAFDAC DG said the agency has implemented several initiatives such as stakeholders’ sensitization meetings on restricting the direct application of dichlorvos on grains and foodstuffs and thorough laboratory testing to ensure pesticide residues do not exceed maximum limits for both in-country consumption and for exports.

She said, “Routine monitoring of stakeholders is also conducted to ensure compliance.”

Adeyeye continued NAFDAC’s commitment to global best practices, including the phase-out of certain pesticides that have been banned in other countries due to proven toxicity.

She also acknowledged the challenges faced by farmers due to bans on various chemicals and emphasized the importance of transitioning to safer alternatives.

Addressing misconceptions about banned chemicals being dumped in Nigeria, she clarified that comprehensive lists have been provided to the media to dispel such notions.

News

Over 60 Youth Groups Dissociate Selves From The October 1 Protest

Published

3 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Editor

Over 60 youth organisations have declared that their members will not participate in the national protest being planned by some persons and groups for October 1 against the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The president of Nigeria Youth Organization, Duke Alamboye, made the position of the youth leaders known when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, in Abuja on Thursday.

Special Assistant on Media to the PAP Administrator, Mr Igoniko Oduma, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to the statement, youth bodies include the National Youth Congress, Arewa Youth Council, Yoruba Youth Council, Ohaneze Youth Council, South-South Advocate, Niger Delta Coalition, the Nigeria Nexus, Youth Parliament of Nigeria, Green Africa Youth Initiative, Youth Foundation for Non-Violence in Nigeria, Niger Delta Youth Parliament, National Association of Nigerian Students, and Youth Empowerment for Peace and Security, among others.

Alamboye in the statement said that they would work together with a network of other youth groups to “ensure that Nigerian youths were not misled into taking part in any ill-advised protest against the government of Tinubu.”

He said they would carry out a series of activities in the days ahead, including a world press conference and a youth summit, to sensitize Nigerians on the need to shun any demonstration in the country.

Alamboye, who urged youths to embrace constructive dialogue, explored them.go use available channels of engagement with the government to express their views instead of disrupting the peace and stability of the nation.

He said, “Concerning the state of the nation, we are not unaware of the agitation from certain quarters calling for a nationwide protest on October 1, 2024. It is a protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government.

“As youth leaders and lovers of peace and national advancement, the Nigeria Youth Organization would like to inform you of our plan and intention to hold a world press conference on the 23rd of September, 2024, geared towards sensitizing the average Nigerian youth on the need to shun the planned protest.

“We want people to seek dialogue as a better reconciliation tool for venting their grievances. We also hope to organise a summit on October 1st, 2024, as a follow-up to the world press conference. We anticipate that all well-meaning stakeholders will play vital roles in charting a better cause for our youths.”

The youth leader congratulated Otuaro on his appointment and commended the President for putting a square peg in a square hole through the appointment of Otuaro.

He stressed that they were solidly behind Tinubu and the PAP boss.

Also speaking, Henry Okonkwo of the Ohaneze Youth Council, Tobi Bakare (Yoruba Youth Council), Ifon Daniel (Niger Delta Youth Parliament), and Nasir Lawal (Arewa Youth Council), among others, corroborated Alamboye and expressed support for the president.

Responding, the PAP Administrator praised the youth leaders for dissociating themselves from the planned protest, noting that Tinubu was is youth-friendly leader who had appointed several youths to serve in different capacities in his government.

Otuaro urged them not to allow themselves to be manipulated into unpatriotic activities in the name of protest, as the president needs more time for the benefits of his people-oriented reforms, policies, and programmes to manifest.

While thanking the youth groups for their decision and support for Tinubu, he said, “Mr. President means well for the country. It is reassuring to know that Nigerian youths are with Mr President, who has been in office for a little over a year.

“As youths, we should organise ourselves and present our grievances and concerns through constructive dialogues. Nobody should manipulate you to achieve their ulterior goals. Most of those championing the so-called protest are only seeking attention and they thrive under the guise of anti-government protests to get attention. Youths should be watchful.”

News

BREAKING: NECO Releases 2024 Internal Examination Results

Published

8 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Editor

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the 2024 SSCE internal results.

This was disclosed on Thursday, September 19, by the NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Wushishi, while briefing journalists in Minna during the release of the 2024 SSCE internal results.

Wushishi also said that NECO blacklisted 21 supervisors in 12 states and de-recognized one school in Ekiti state for mass cheating in two core subjects and one science subject.

According to him, the Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness, and negligence.

He said: “40 schools were round to have been involved in whole-school mass cheating in 17 states adding that the schools will be invited to the council for discussion after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.”

Details shortly…

News

Rotary Club Embarks On Tree Planting To Save Environment In Bauchi

Published

8 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Editor

The Rotary Club International on Wednesday, embarked on planting 110 forest species trees in Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi state.

Speaking during the flagging off of the planting exercise, Mr Morris Choji, Rotary Club International President in Bauchi state, said the gesture was to prevent the environment from desertification.

According to him, the club decided to embark on the project in order to see how it could contribute to saving the environment by planting the trees to serve as windbreaks and to avoid erosion.

Morris, who encouraged the people of Dass to also plant more trees, promised that the club would plant more if the ones planted are well taken care of.

“Today, we are witnessing a tree planting project that we as Rotarians do from time to time to see how we can save the environment.

“As Rotary club, we have seven areas of focus such as Polio eradication, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child health, among others and protecting the environment is one of them.

“We are planting 110 forest species trees in the Dass Local Government Area of the state and I would like to call on the benefiting community to take very good care of the trees.

“From time to time, we will be coming here to see how far they are faring and we have gotten assurance from the local government that they will be taken care of and we appreciate the energy,” he said.

In her reaction toward the gesture, Mrs Victoria Joshua, Head of Administration, Dass LGA, said that the project is very important to the people of Dass and to humanity at large.

“We are witnessing great deforestation globally, there is great climate change and what Rotary club is doing right now by planting these trees is a way to serve humanity and to curb the deforestation taking place in our locality and globally.

“We appreciate the club for their efforts to serve humanity and we call on them to bring not only this plantation but more benefiting programmes into Dass LGA,” she said.

She assured that the local government would mobilise forestry staff under the Agric section in the LGA to take very good care of the planted trees so as to achieve the purpose they were planted.