The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC has shut down two sachet water factories in Owerri for operating in unhygienic environments.
The agency further cautioned another factory during the routine inspection carried out on Friday in the Imo capital city.
The two affected factories included Elmabo Table Water and Sylchap Enterprise Table Water, while Giver Table Water was cautioned over minor issues.
In an interview with newsmen at the end of the enforcement, the Imo NAFDAC Coordinator, Mrs Mercy Ndukwe, said the factories were sealed for poor manufacturing practices.
Ndukwe said: “We have invited them all to visit NAFDAC office with their licences for verification.
“Looking at the factories we visited, the agency is not happy seeing the environment they were operating on.
“NAFDAC’s minimum requirement is four to five rooms for small scale operators to operate a water production facility.
“At the time we registered them, these rooms were available but today, most of the rooms have been converted to other uses, like living rooms and other businesses.”
The NAFDAC chief expressed concern that cholera and other diseases could breakout from such unhygienic environments, if not given proper attention.
Ndukwe recalled that the agency, about three weeks ago, directed the water association in the state to close all operations for two days for proper cleaning and sanitisation of factories to avert cholera outbreak.
“In spite of the directive, we are very sad to see the environment where they operate in to be unhygienic,” she said.
She cautioned other producers “to sit up and conduct self sanitisation of their premises.”
“They should ensure that those they leave their businesses to run adhere strictly to the directives of NAFDAC.
“Our aim is not to close down factories or push them out of business but to ensure that Nigerians consume wholesale and hygienic food and water,” Ndukwe said.
She expressed the willingness of the agency to organise free trainings for the operators of table water factories in the state on the best practices.
The enforcement was carried out by NAFDAC, in collaboration with the Imo House of Assembly Committee on Health and Environment as well as the state chapter of the Association of Table Water Producers, ATWAP.