Lagos State Government has alerted members of the public to the dangers of buying and consuming exhumed contaminated poultry produce like chickens and turkeys that are presently in circulation in the State.
According to the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Toyin Suarau, these imported contaminated poultry produce were seized by men of the Nigeria Customs Service in Badagry but was later exhumed after being destroyed by some unscrupulous individuals with the intent to sell same to some unsuspecting consumers.
Suarau who disclosed this at the weekend while receiving officials of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) who came on the directive of the Federal Government to appeal for support on how to enlighten the teeming populace in Lagos on the danger posed by this act noted that these exhumed poultry produce is poisonous and could lead to death if consumed.
“This visit by officials of National Orientation Agency was based on the circular received by NOA about the recently exhumed contaminated poultry produce being destroyed by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service somewhere in Badagry; the need for sensitization on the dangers associated with consuming these exhumed poisonous poultry produce cannot be overemphasized especially in view of the havoc it poses to the public”, he noted.
The Commissioner said that the imported poultry produce is preserved with chemicals like formalin which is poisonous, adding that it can lead to slow death without the knowledge of the consumer.
Suarau opined that these produce aside being poisonous are not as nutricious as freshly processed poultry meat because imported poultry meat have been preserved for months and years with dangerous substance.
Suarau opined that these produce aside being poisonous are not as nutricious as freshly processed poultry meat because imported poultry meat have been preserved for months and years with dangerous substance.
He said while reiterating the State government’s commitment towards ensuring food security for residents of Lagos vowed that the State government will not relent in its quest to improve the quality of life of citizens adding that health and wellbeing of residents is cardinal in the policy thrusts of government.
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Suarau, however, disclosed that the Lagos State Government will work in collaboration with the Federal Government to ensure that the sensitization exercise is successful.
“We are much more concern about the implications of consuming unwholesome poultry produce, we cannot toil with the lives of over 21million Lagosians and that is why as part of our proactive measures the ministry will liaise with all its field officers to pass the information across the state” he stated.
In the same vein, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Food Security, Mr. Okanlawon Sanni stated that the State Ministry of Agriculture will assist in mobilizing and sensitizing its poultry farmers and members of the public to be their brothers’ keeper and be alert to happenings around them.
He stressed that the populace especially people from the grassroots would be involved in the advocacy and sensitization campaign on the dangers of consuming these contaminated imported poultry produce.
Sanni urged residents to patronize government approved or State-owned various poultry estates where they can get fresh and hygienic poultry produce for consumption.
He appealed to the public to desist from buying poultry produce from unsure sources even at a very low cost because of the dangers inherent in consuming imported, poisonous and contaminated poultry produce.
Speaking earlier, Deputy Director, National Orientation Agency, Mr. John Emah said that the agency in collaboration with the Lagos State Government is set to begin sensitization programme to draw attention of the public to the dangers inherent in buying and consuming these poultry produce.
“In order to halt the spread of these contaminated poultry produce, the NOA would commence the production and airing of public service announcement and jingles; distribute information leaflets, and kick start other outlined sensitization campaigns and programmes in collaboration with the Lagos State Government”, he said.
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