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The Food Hygiene Initiative of Nigeria (FHIN), an NGO, has commended the National Assembly for the moves to pass the bill for an act to establish the Nigerian Food Safety and Hygiene Surveillance Corps.
Mr Nicholas Karimu, the Director-General of the organisation, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja, on Tuesday, said that the overall goal of food hygiene initiative was for the achievement of safety practices to prevent food related diseases in the country.
Karimu expressed delight over the progress of the bill, noting that the bill if finally passed would go a long way to address poor food handling especially in the rural communities.
”I really appreciate the effort of the entire National Assembly for looking into this very important bill, especially in the aspect of food safety and hygiene in Nigeria.
”This bill is very important to this country, if finally passed, it will go a long way in ensuring that we have an agency that would be oversea, regulate and supervise food safety hygiene practice.
”It will also regulate food safety in market places, eating places, training and issuing of licences to persons participating in food handling business to prevent food and water borne diseases in the country.’’
According to Karimu, the group is also saddled with the responsibility of educating consumers and food handlers on the importance of food safety and hygiene in line with pronouncement from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He explained that, the organisation will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to shore up food and hygiene standard practices in the country.
However, he advised food hygiene officers to represent the organisation positively and be good ambassadors of food safety practices in the country.
NAN reports that the bill, which passed through second reading on July 23, 2020, was sponsored by Rep. Aminu Mani (NAN)
– Aug 11, 2020 13:02 GMT |
Tags: NGO lauds NASS over moves to pass Food Safety Bill
