The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has raised alarm over the growing trend of harmful practices in food production, including forced fruit ripening, adulterated palm oil, and contaminated meat and grains, warning that such acts pose grave risks to public health and consumer safety.
The warning was issued during a one-day sensitisation programme organised by the Commission in Kano, aimed at educating stakeholders on safe food handling, proper labelling, regulatory compliance, and ethical business conduct.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, Mr. Olatunji Bello, who was represented by the Director of Quality Assurance and Development, Dr. Nkechi Mba, said the Commission remains committed to protecting consumers, promoting fair competition, and ensuring accountability in the food and agricultural sectors.
Read Also:
Dala Inland Dry Port Refutes Allegations Linking Ganduje’s Family to Ownership
Dr. Mba cautioned against the chemical ripening of fruits with calcium carbide, food adulteration using toxic additives, and unhygienic handling that exposes food items to contamination.
“Unsafe food not only endangers lives but undermines trust in markets, disrupts trade, and damages the reputation of businesses, both large and small,” she stated.
She urged food producers, vendors, and distributors to maintain hygiene standards, properly label and package their products, and always uphold consumer rights and safety.
Also speaking, the Director of Consumer and Business Education at the FCCPC, Mr. Yahaya Garba Kudan, stressed that food safety is a fundamental consumer right and an essential component of national development.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that consumers have access to safe, high-quality food,” he said. “This programme provides an opportunity for participants to learn how to identify and prevent unsafe practices, lodge complaints, and seek redress where necessary.”
Kudan highlighted that the FCCPC collaborates closely with regulatory bodies such as NAFDAC, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and the Federal Ministries of Health and Agriculture to enforce compliance with national food safety standards.
He explained that through market surveillance, enforcement actions, and public sensitisation, the Commission has intervened in several cases of hazardous food practices across Nigeria.
The event was attended by key officials, including Hassan Abdulhamid Hassan, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the FCCPC, alongside representatives of consumer groups, food vendors, business operators, civil society organisations, and regulatory agencies.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Mba reminded participants of the collective responsibility to ensure public safety through responsible food production and handling.
“A nation that poisons its people cannot prosper,” she warned. “We are all consumers, and an injury to one is an injury to all. Together, we must eradicate harmful food practices and promote accountability, safety, and respect for human life.”
