Kano Grains Market threats to sanction traders over food adulteration
The Management of the Dawanau International Grains Market in Kano State, has threatened to sanction traders found to be involved in food adulteration in the market.
The President of the market, Alhaji Muntaka Isa, said this when he addressed newsmen during an inspection visit on Wednesday in Dawanau.
Isa said that some international customers had rejected over 50 containers of suspected adulterated foodstuff from the market lately, saying that the development had negatively affected the market’s reputation.
Isa said the management was disturbed by the development, saying that efforts would be made to prevent future occurrences.
“We shall not fold our arms and watch a few selfish and unpatriotic individuals tarnish the good image and reputation of our market built over the years,” he said.
Also,the Chairman of the market’s Board of Trustees,Alhaji Abdullahi Maidoya,said the management had set up a committee to fish out and prosecute the culprits.
Maidoya said that the board would collaborate with government agencies, including the Federal Ministries of Trade and Investment, the Ministry of Police Affairs, that of Health, and the Ministry of Justice on the issue.
“We have established a Quality Control Committee to work with government agencies and we have launched an enlightenment and mobilization campaign with a view to educating traders on the dangers of food adulteration,”he said.
Hajiya Fatima Yakubu,the Chief Executive Officer,Federal Produce Special Service, Kano Branch,in her remarks,said the agency was working assiduously to address food adulteration.
Yakubu decried the rising cases of food adulteration among food produce marchants.
“The way and manner food merchants get involved in food adulteration is very alarming.I am appealing to food commodity marchants to please, as a matter of urgency, desist from this negative attitude.The agency will not relent in fighting the ugly trend, ” she said.
Dawanau Grains Market is one of the latest grains markets in Africa attracting customers from the continent especially, West Africa.
