By Gloria Attah
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut down 16 sachet water factories in Rivers State over multiple violations, including operating without valid licences and poor hygienic conditions.
The enforcement operation was carried out across four local government areas of the state — Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, Degema and Ikwerre.
NAFDAC’s South-South Zonal Director, Chukwuma Oligbu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Friday by the agency’s Public Relations Officer in the zone, Cyril Monye.
According to the statement, owners of the affected factories have been invited to the NAFDAC office for further investigation.
The affected factories include Obra Bo Table Water in Abalama, Asari-Toru LGA; Loilia Table Water in Okpo, Degema LGA; Jima Table Water, Inye Table Water, Obuta Table Water, S.P. Nimi Table Water and Soaltam Table Water, all located in Obuama Harry Town, Degema LGA.
Others are Piasso Table Water in Usokun, Degema LGA; Imumsco Table Water along the Port Harcourt-Degema Road; Granpa Table Water, Daa Ajuka Table Water and Diob Table Water in Abonnema, Akuku-Toru LGA.
In Ikwerre LGA, the agency shut down AQUA-TOBSON Table Water, DUCO Table Water, CHISODEK Table Water and NEO BRAIN Table Water.
Oligbu said the factories were found operating under unsafe and unsanitary conditions, including the use of dirty filters, handkerchiefs as filtration materials, expired licences, labelling violations and incorrect factory addresses.
He warned sachet water producers against operating without registration or with expired licences, urging affected operators to renew their permits or risk prosecution.
The NAFDAC director also cautioned against locating factories inside filling stations, describing the practice as a violation of the agency’s regulations.
He stressed that the agency would not hesitate to permanently shut down any factory found violating safety standards.
Oligbu further warned that obstructing NAFDAC officials during enforcement operations is a criminal offence punishable under the law.
“There will be no hiding place for clandestine producers of sachet water, as NAFDAC’s surveillance and enforcement activities cover all parts of the state,” he said.
He urged members of the public to report the production or sale of unregistered and unsafe NAFDAC-regulated products to the agency for prompt action.
NAFDAC has intensified nationwide enforcement operations in recent years to curb the circulation of unsafe food, drinks and counterfeit regulated products, particularly sachet water produced under unhealthy conditions.
