The House of Representatives has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to sensitise Nigerians against using paracetamol to boil meat.
At the plenary on Thursday, the House mandated NAFDAC and other relevant agencies to urgently embark on widespread sensitisation and public awareness against the consumption of food tenderised and processed with paracetamol and bleach.
The House also mandated NAFDAC and other relevant government bodies to “arrest and prosecute all offenders of this provision to serve as a deterrent, while helping to curtail the continuous perpetuation of such crimes against humanity.”
The lawmakers further urged the federal and state ministries of health, NAFDAC and other stakeholders in the industry to develop a blueprint that would ensure constant and regular monitoring and supervision of food vendors and processors to avoid reoccurrence.
They further mandated the House Committee on Health Care Services to liaise with NAFDAC and ministries of health to engage all relevant government agencies charged with supervision and monitoring of public foods and services, “with a view to investigating this revelation in Osun, Delta and other states of the federation.”
The committee is expected to report back to the House within eight weeks for further legislative action.
These resolutions were passed in plenary based on a motion moved by a member, Mr Dozie Nwankwo, which was unanimously adopted.
It was titled, ‘Motion on Matter of Urgent National Importance on the Need to Investigate the Alleged Use of Paracetamol and Bleach to Tenderise Meat and Process Cassava in Osun State and across the federation.’
Moving the motion, Nwankwo said, “The House notes with dismay, the revelation by the Osun State Government officials that some caterers and food vendors in the state have been using paracetamol and bleach to tenderise meat and process cassava.
“The House is aware that high dosage of paracetamol comes with toxicity that may lead to kidney and renal failures while the use of bleach to process cassava for garri is simply food poisoning.
“The House is concerned about the extent of damage this criminal act has had on vital organs of the consumers, which include kidneys, liver, heart and small intestines.
