NOA Launches Campaign Against Dangerous Chemicals in Food Preservation

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has raised alarm over the growing use of harmful chemicals in food preservation, a practice that has led to serious health issues, including terminal diseases and premature deaths. This dangerous trend is most prevalent among farmers and traders who, in an effort to increase profits, resort to chemicals like hypochloride for cassava, calcium carbide for plantains, and Snipper for beans, without regard for the health risks to consumers.

To address the issue, NOA’s Oyo State branch has initiated a comprehensive awareness campaign targeting all 33 local government areas of the state. The program aims to educate the public on the dangers of chemical-based food preservation and encourage the adoption of traditional, safer methods. At a sensitisation event held at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, the Director General of NOA, Malam Issa Onilu, represented by Oyo State Director Dr. Olukemi Afolayan, emphasised the dire health consequences of using such chemicals, including cancer, kidney failure, memory loss, infertility, and even death.

Onilu also reminded farmers and traders that the practice is illegal, with government authorities poised to enforce laws prohibiting it. The event also featured input from NAFDAC representative Mrs. Damola Salami, who advocated for the use of safer alternatives such as fresh, unpreserved foods and bio-fertilisers.

An interactive session with market vendors followed, allowing for direct engagement and further understanding of the risks involved. Key figures, including the Iyaloja of Ibadan, Alhaja Iswat Abiola Ameringun, and representatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), supported the campaign, underscoring a united effort to eliminate harmful food preservation practices.

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