Stop Using Paracetamol And Bleach To Cook - Lawmakers Cry Out, Call On NAFDAC

The House of Representatives has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC) to inform Nigerians against the act of using paracetamol to boil meat.

The House, at the plenary on Thursday, urged NAFDAC and other relevant and related agencies to immediately embark on widespread sensitisation and public awareness against the consumption of food tenderised and processed with bleach and paracetamol.

The House further urged the Agency and other relevant government bodies to “arrest and prosecute all offenders of this provision to serve as a deterrent, while helping to control the continuous perpetuation of such heinous crimes against humanity.”

The Reps mandated the federal and state ministries of health, NAFDAC and other stakeholders in the industry to develop a blueprint that would ensure that food vendors and processors are strictly under constant and regular monitoring and supervision to avoid reoccurrence.

They also recommended the House Committee on Health Care Services to collaborate with NAFDAC and ministries of health to engage all relevant government agencies charged with supervision and monitoring of public foods and services, “with a view to investigating this revelation in Osun, Delta and other states of the federation.”

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The committee is expected to report back to the House within eight weeks for further legislative action.

The motion that brought about these resolutions were passed in the plenary by a member, Mr Dozie Nwankwo, and was unanimously adopted.

While moving the motion, Nwankwo said;
“The House notes with dismay, the revelation by the Osun State Government officials that some caterers and food vendors in the state have been using paracetamol and bleach to tenderize meat and process cassava.

“The House is aware that high dosage of paracetamol comes with toxicity that may lead to kidney and renal failures while the use of bleach to process cassava for garri is simply food poisoning.

“The House is concerned about the extent of damage this criminal act has had on vital organs of the consumers , which include kidneys, liver, heart and small intestines .”

It was titled; ‘Motion on Matter of Urgent National Importance on the Need to Investigate the Alleged Use of Paracetamol and Bleach to Tenderise Meat and Process Cassava in Osun State and across the federation.’