NAFDAC shuts down two sachet water factories in Owerri for unhygienic conditions
By Innocent Raphael
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down two sachet water factories in Owerri due to unhygienic operating environments.
The enforcement action was part of a routine inspection conducted on Friday in the Imo state capital.
The affected factories, Elmabo Table Water and Sylchap Enterprise Table Water, were sealed for poor manufacturing practices. Another factory, Giver Table Water, was cautioned for minor issues.
A statement issued by Imo NAFDAC Coordinator, Mrs. Mercy Ndukwe, explained that the closures were necessary to ensure public safety.
“We have invited the owners to visit the NAFDAC office with their licenses for verification. The agency is not pleased with the environments in which these factories are operating,” Ndukwe said.
She noted that NAFDAC requires small-scale operators to have a minimum of four to five rooms for water production facilities.
“At the time of registration, these rooms were available. However, many have since been converted to living spaces or other businesses,” she added.
Ndukwe expressed concern over the potential for cholera and other diseases to emerge from such unhygienic conditions.
She recalled that NAFDAC had previously directed the state’s water association to halt operations for two days to clean and sanitize their facilities, aiming to prevent a cholera outbreak.
“In spite of the directive, it is disheartening to see the current state of these environments,” she said. She urged other water producers to proactively sanitize their premises and ensure compliance with NAFDAC’s guidelines.
“Our goal is not to shut down businesses but to ensure that Nigerians consume clean and safe water,” Ndukwe emphasized.
NAFDAC has offered to provide free training for table water factory operators in Imo State on best practices.
The enforcement was carried out in collaboration with the Imo House of Assembly Committee on Health and Environment and the state chapter of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP).
