The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down 16 sachet water factories in Rivers State over alleged unhygienic production practices and regulatory violations.
NAFDAC said the affected factories were sealed during an enforcement operation carried out across Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, Degema and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the state.
South-South Director of NAFDAC, Chukwuma Oligbu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt through the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Cyril Monye.
According to the agency, the factories were shut for operating with expired licences, producing unregistered sachet water and violating safety regulations.
Oligbu revealed that officials also discovered dirty production environments, poor filtration systems, use of handkerchiefs as filters, labelling irregularities and false factory addresses during the operation.
He warned sachet water producers to stop producing unregistered products and urged operators with expired licences to renew them immediately or risk prosecution.
“The operation carried out in the four LGAs led to the closure of 16 sachet water factories while their owners were invited to the NAFDAC office,” he stated.
The NAFDAC director further warned against locating factories inside filling stations, describing the practice as a serious violation of the agency’s regulations.
He stressed that the agency would not hesitate to permanently shut down any factory found engaging in such illegal practices.
Oligbu also cautioned operators against obstructing NAFDAC officials during enforcement exercises, noting that offenders risk arrest and prosecution.
“There will be no hiding place for clandestine producers of unsafe sachet water in Rivers State,” he warned.
He urged members of the public to report suspicious production or sale of unregistered NAFDAC-regulated products to the agency for prompt action.
NAFDAC said the crackdown forms part of its intensified nationwide campaign against unsafe food, drinks and counterfeit regulated products.
