Benue State House of Assembly has condemned the use of chemicals such as Carbide, Potash, Hypo, Ariel and drugs such as Panadol to process food for human consumption.
The House gave the condemnation during Thursday’s plenary following a motion of urgent public importance moved by Mr. Bunde Torkuma (Buruku, PDP) urging the House to cause an investigation into the use of dangerous chemicals and drugs for f food processing in Benue State.
The House also requested the Ministries of Health and Human Services, Agriculture and Natural Resources and Industry, Trade and Investment to liaise with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in the state to periodically investigate and curb erring traders and food sellers from the use of these harmful chemical substances on foods sold.
The house recommended that punitive measures be meted out on those who go contrary to the law and directed it’s committees on Health and Human Services, Agriculture and Natural Resources and Industry, Trade and Investment to interface with experts in the respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) under their legislative purview to find a lasting solutions to this dangerous man-made health problem.
Mr. Torkuma informed the House that in a bid to hasten the ripening of certain fruits, including Bananas, Mangoes, pawpaw among others, so as to rush sales, many traders in Benue State have been applying Carbide, a chemical substance meant for use in the Oxygen-Aceteltyn (gas) welding by automobile technicians.
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According to him, “farmers are reportedly making use of Hypo, a chemical washing agent/stain removal; and detergent, notably Ariel to ferment Akpu, ostensibly to whiten it and remove its characteristic odour.
He noted that “food sellers and many family kitchens use either Panadol or Potash popularly called Akanwa for cooking meat as softeners, while others use it for cooking Okra to make it thick and slimy. I am alarmed at the imminent health risks that unsuspecting members of the public are exposed to as a result of the use of these dangerous chemicals in food processing,” he said.
The Majority Leader, Mr. Damian Cheme (Gwer West, PDP) who seconded the motion said it was apt, describing the practice as harmful to human health.
The Minority Leader, Mr. Bem Mngutyo (Tarka, APC) and Mr. Terkaa Ucha (Tiev, PDP) decried the use of chemical substances in food processing, saying a lot of people have developed various health challenges as a result of the consumption of these dangerous chemicals.
The Speaker, Mr. Titus Uba stressed the need for people of the state who engage in these unwholesome practices to stop forthwith, saying most people consume these chemicals unknowingly and advised that food and fruits should be allowed to go through natural processes.