NAFDAC Accused Of Allowing Cancer Causing Tomato Paste To Circulate Nationwide

Date: 10-06-2016 10:43 am (7 years ago) | Author: CLARA JANCITA
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- at 10-06-2016 10:43 AM (7 years ago)
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Indigenous tomato production firms and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Thursday traded blame over alleged rising importation of fake and substandard tomato paste into the country. Among the firms were Erisco Food and Dangote Tomato Pastry. They pointedly accused NAFDAC of encouraging foreign firms to flood the Nigerian market with fake and substandard tomato paste.

China and India were two countries whose names featured prominently as the origin of such “fake, substandard and cancer-causing tomato paste” at a public hearing conducted by the Joint House of Representatives Committees on Healthcare Services, Drugs and Narcotics in Abuja.

However, many importers, including Nigerians and foreigners, thronged the venue of the hearing to deny the “claims” of Dangote and Erisco that they were conniving with NAFDAC to endanger the lives of Nigerians.

The session was jointly chaired by Mr. Chike Okafor and Mrs. Ukeria Azodo.

Leading the accusation against NAFDAC, the Chairman of Erisco Foods, Mr. Eric Umeafia, told the committee that unknown to Nigerians, NAFDAC of today was a compromised agency, which no longer enforced regulations.

He alleged that with the knowledge of NAFDAC, importers ordered fake tomato paste from India and China.

Umeafia stated that whenever a complaint over such “illegality” was lodged at NAFDAC, the agency replied by issuing threat letters to shut down the operations of local tomato production firms. Umeafia, who called NAFDAC, a “cash and carry” regulator, added,
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“The biggest market in Nigeria today is NAFDAC. They encourage the importation of cancer-causing tomato paste from China and India.
“During the recent trip by President Muhammadu Buhari to China, this question was put to the Chinese on why they sent substandard goods to Nigeria and they blamed it on greedy government agencies. “The Chinese will bluntly tell you that it is what you order that you get.”


Erisco’s Legal Adviser, Mr. Abdulrahman Kadiri, also quoted a 2015 report of NAFDAC after the agency conducted safety tests on 300 samples of tomato paste.
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“NAFDAC, by its own report, admitted that 91.1 per cent of the samples failed the tests, meaning that they were not good for consumption. “However, the question is why nothing has been done one year after to bring anybody to book? If we do not stop this trend, we don’t know how many Nigerians will die,”
he added.
The Managing Director of Dangote Tomato Pastry, Mr. Abdulkarim Kaita, corroborated the claims of Erisco, alleging that some Chinese firms stored “expired” bulk tomato paste in their factories only to mix it with fresh ones for exportation to Nigeria.

He noted that in China, the Chinese did not eat the grade of tomato paste they exported to Nigeria.
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“There are three categories of  paste for the European market, the Asian market and the African market. “The paste for the African market, which is the lowest in terms of quality, is further downgraded for the Nigerian market,”
Kaila stated.

At the session, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, which was represented by Mr. Folorunsho Adeyemi, called for an outright
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“ban on the import of retail tomato packs.” But, Prof. Samson Adebayo, who spoke for NAFDAC at the hearing, vehemently denied that the agency committed any of the infractions alleged by Dangote and Erisco. Several local and foreign importers, including a group of 24 led by Mr. Ikenna Amaechi, dismissed the allegations as “misleading and lacking in substance.”


Adebayo explained that the test results in question were for samples taken from tomato paste in the Lagos area and not the entire country. He said this was for the primary purpose of determining the quality of the paste, particularly the concentrates, and not over fears that the paste contained injurious substances.

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“It was an internal document of NAFDAC; we did not find any injurious substances in the samples we tested,” he added. The NAFDAC official advised the committee to caution the Erisco boss for making “unsubstantiated allegations capable of chasing foreign investors out of Nigeria.”


Speaking for the importers, Ameachi said the plan of Erisco and Dangote was to destroy the reputation of importers so that they could build a monopoly. “We are aware of the intention. It is to de-market others, especially the importers, so that Erisco can become the monopoly in the area,” he said.


Posted: at 10-06-2016 10:43 AM (7 years ago) | Hero
- Ritabrenice at 10-06-2016 10:51 AM (7 years ago)
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Substandard products every where, Even Nigeria is substandard...
Posted: at 10-06-2016 10:51 AM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- Donchijoz at 10-06-2016 11:00 AM (7 years ago)
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Quote from: Rita on 10-06-2016 10:51 AM
Substandard products every where, Even Nigeria is substandard...
gbam. you have said it all
Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:00 AM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
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- kison at 10-06-2016 11:15 AM (7 years ago)
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ONE OF THE MAIN REASON WHY PPL SHOULD be careful, PLS be very very careful, CAREFULLLLLLLLLL……………………..
Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:15 AM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- GermoDon at 10-06-2016 11:16 AM (7 years ago)
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Who to blame nw?
Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:16 AM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- gogoman at 10-06-2016 11:20 AM (7 years ago)
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Quote from: Rita on 10-06-2016 10:51 AM
Substandard products every where, Even Nigeria is substandard...

yes you get am well
Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:20 AM (7 years ago) | Grande Master
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- morgan1 at 10-06-2016 11:23 AM (7 years ago)
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Chaiii na wa oo,,,
Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:23 AM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- quest3 at 10-06-2016 11:33 AM (7 years ago)
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Fake! fake!! fake!!! product everywhere
even human beings sef...fake
I dont even know which face is real here on naijapals
I just dey look una

Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:33 AM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
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- michaelc80 at 10-06-2016 11:35 AM (7 years ago)
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I'll always bye fresh tomatoes
Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:35 AM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- luckingto50 at 10-06-2016 11:47 AM (7 years ago)
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Quote from: Nash Festus on 10-06-2016 11:35 AM
I'll always bye fresh tomatoes


Fresh tomatoes?
Posted: at 10-06-2016 11:47 AM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
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- CHRISETTE at 10-06-2016 12:25 PM (7 years ago)
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This once are looking for market which tomatoes paste are substandard name them let's know them all
Posted: at 10-06-2016 12:25 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- scottchris at 10-06-2016 12:30 PM (7 years ago)
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NAFDAC isn't the only body to be blamed in this.....  Wot of SON nd NIS..?

Posted: at 10-06-2016 12:30 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- ngfineface at 10-06-2016 01:19 PM (7 years ago)
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Negodu. Just negodu. Lord have mercy
Posted: at 10-06-2016 01:19 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- okuboye at 10-06-2016 01:54 PM (7 years ago)
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Quote from: christopher Aruh on 10-06-2016 12:30 PM
NAFDAC isn't the only body to be blamed in this.....  Wot of SON nd NIS..?
thank u, son and nis are cripple
Posted: at 10-06-2016 01:54 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- dareper at 10-06-2016 01:56 PM (7 years ago)
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Unscrupulous Nigerians playing politics with people's life.
Posted: at 10-06-2016 01:56 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- mamaru at 10-06-2016 02:48 PM (7 years ago)
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Quote from: Sussan odili on 10-06-2016 12:25 PM
This once are looking for market which tomatoes paste are substandard name them let's know them all
u aare right erico and dangote are the cause of tomato scarsity Nigeria today abt 90% of  the fruits from the north goes to their factory since they gave them licence now they want to chase other dealer just as dangote hijack cement he wan hijack tomato paste to greed
Posted: at 10-06-2016 02:48 PM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
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- EDDYPRINCE at 10-06-2016 03:16 PM (7 years ago)
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NAIJA SELF FAKE... EVERYTIN MOST BE FAKE
Posted: at 10-06-2016 03:16 PM (7 years ago) | Addicted Hero
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- HUMANresurce at 10-06-2016 03:48 PM (7 years ago)
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Quote from: reaper on 10-06-2016 01:56 PM
Unscrupulous Nigerians playing politics with people's life.
MY BROTHER I TIRE OOO CAN U IMAGINE.
Posted: at 10-06-2016 03:48 PM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
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- schmit at 10-06-2016 04:05 PM (7 years ago)
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God aibeg  use ur hand  help dat country, no send  anybody  again
Posted: at 10-06-2016 04:05 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- albionalex at 10-06-2016 04:19 PM (7 years ago)
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Naija Naija..
Posted: at 10-06-2016 04:19 PM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
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