The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) have recently partnered to organise a campaign against smuggled poultry products in Nigeria.
The workshop organised by the Plateau branch of PAN was designed to enlighten farmers and the entire public on the health and economic implications of smuggled products in Jos, Plateau State.
John Daser, The Plateau State Chairman for PAN, speaking at the workshop, stated that “Smuggled poultry products jeopardise the health of the entire nation and contribute largely in sabotaging the economy of the country.”
Daser also stated that, based on results gathered in 2014, over 1.2 million metric tons of frozen chicken and turkey, valued at N660 billion ($2.75 billion) was imported by smugglers. This was four times greater than what was produced locally and definitely exceeds the current capacity.
He further stated that: “The Poultry value-chain in Nigeria presents a huge potential yet to be unlocked. If the industry is given all necessary and strategic support, it will make significant contributions to the national GDP, create thousands of jobs and further stabilize the food and nutrition needs of the country.”
Also speaking at the workshop was the North Central Zonal Coordinator, Josephine Dayillim on behalf of Dr. Paul Orhii, the Director-General of NAFDAC.
Dayillim stated that the consumption of smuggled poultry products is unsafe for the public; this is because established researches have revealed that they in fact contain chemicals that pose grave dangers to the consumers, handlers and the entire environment.
She also appealed to farmers to maintain best practices in their jobs.
Concluding the speech, she stated that NAFDAC, NCS and other relevant stakeholders have increased the synergy in the battle to enforce the ban on the importation of poultry products into the country.
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This article was first published on 14th October 2015
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