- Ogun State plans to conduct compliance exercises on table and sachet water factories due to a cholera outbreak, shutting down non-compliant companies
- The exercise aims to address environmental and hygienic issues, ensuring water products meet required standards following the outbreak
The Ogun State government has announced its plans to conduct compliance exercises on all table and sachet water factories in the state. This decision comes in response to a cholera outbreak in some parts of the state. The government has vowed to shut down any company that fails the compliance test until it meets the required procedures.
At least 12 people have died, and approximately 250 cholera cases have been recorded in Ijebu North, Abeokuta North, and Abeokuta South local government areas of the state.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting, Commissioner for Environment Ola Oresanya explained that the compliance exercise is necessary to address environmental and hygienic issues detected in the production processes of these water factories. These issues were found to be in variance with the earlier certification by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Oresanya revealed that the state government will conduct the compliance exercise to reinforce and domesticate NAFDAC certification in all 20 local government areas of the state. The assessment will involve demanding routine microbial analysis results of the products, checking the distance of production boreholes from septic tanks, assessing operational environments, and examining medical certificates of fitness for product consumption.
Oresanya emphasized that registered and unregistered water-producing factories will undergo assessment, and any factory failing the compliance exercise will remain shut until it passes the required procedures.
The Chairman of the Table Water and Beverages Producers Association of Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter, Femi Olukoga, expressed support for the exercise, highlighting the importance of sanitizing members and eliminating unscrupulous activities that negatively impact public health.
The government’s goal is to ensure the health of residents and set healthy standards for water products following the cholera outbreak.
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