Obiano assures to partner UN on Food Safety and Food Security Campaign

 Deputy Governor Anambra , Dr Okeke being dressed with food safe T-shirt

www.odogwublog.com reports that Governor Willie Obiano’s led government in Anambra state has said it is ready to with the federal government to ensure food safety and food security in the State.

Obiano gave the assurance at the Government House, Awka, when he received in audience, food experts from United Nations, Industrial Development Organization UNIDO, who are in the State on awareness campaign on food safety and food security.
Governor Obiano, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke, said that checks and measures should be put in place to ensure that bad foods as well as illicit drugs do not find their way into the market, especially through importation.
The Governor commended the initiative of sensitizing people on healthy practices, because, according to him, health is wealth.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister Of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, the Chairman, National Food Safety Management Committee, Mr. Fubara Chuku, said the courtesy call is in keeping with their usual practice of paying respect to constituted authorities and expressed the hope that through the sensitization, the masses will be better educated on things they should do to ensure food safety, thereby buying their health with their food.
He said that the sensitization had lasted since two thousand and fourteen, urging the State government to put in place a food safety management committee as well as establish a safety desk, patterned to what is already existing at the federal level.

Contributing, a National Expert on Food Safety and National Quality Infrastructure Project for Nigeria, Mr. John Funsho, said that with the emerging Agricultural market in Anambra, Agro businesses will thrive better with food safety, noting that the aim of the sensitization is to ensure that the food products in the markets adhere to international best practices.
While calling on citizens to avoid buying cheap food which expose them to infections and diseases such as typhoid and cancer, he noted that government is spending a lot of resources on public health, adding that UNIDO is helping the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure food safety and food security..
Present during the call were the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanization and Export, Mr. Leo Imoka, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communication Strategy, Mr. Benjamin Umerah, among others.
Presentation of materials to the Governor as a food ambassador formed the high point of the call.