The Health Dangers of Imported Frozen Chickens in Nigeria

The Health Dangers of Imported Frozen Chickens in Nigeria

 

The National President, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Dr. Ayoola Oduntan at a workshop on “the Economic and Health Implications of Smuggled Poultry Product,” said imported frozen chicken are very dangerous for human consumption. According to him, while locally-farmed poultry meat is sold without any preservatives, the smuggled poultry meat is preserved with hazardous chemicals. “Formalin load in all smuggled poultry products ranges from 42.9 to 63.3ml/kg, according to a survey. Improperly imported poultry products pose grave dangers to consumers, handlers and environment. The break in cold chains during smuggling encourages a build-up of high microbial load, rendering such consignments unhealthy and unfit for human consumption.” He said locally produced chickens are safe for consumption, as they are locally-farmed and sold without any  preservatives unlike the smuggled poultry meat which is preserved with hazardous chemicals that portend serious danger to the consumers as some of the chemicals are known to be carcinogenic.
 Only recently, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development warned Nigerians involved in the smuggling of frozen chicken to desist from doing so as it could bring back the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. The warning was issued by the Federal Department of Animal Production and Husbandry Services. The department noted that smuggled poultry products had continued to find their way into local markets through several land borders despite a ban on them.  It quoted the USAID Agricultural Information Network as reporting that 90 per cent of frozen chicken come in through Benin Republic and other West African countries.

Most Dangeous drugs in Nigeria

 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has declared that the most dangerous drugs circulated in the country are produced in Anambra State.

The state NDLEA Commander, Mr. Sule Momodu, who made the declaration on Saturday at the Women’s Development Centre in Awka to mark the 2015 United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Trafficking, identified one of the dangerous drugs produced in the state as methamphetamine

Momodu expressed worry over the increasing production of illicit drugs, abuse and trafficking in the state and called for a concerted effort to stop the development.

He disclosed that the anti-drug abuse and trafficking agency arrested at least 122 drug suspects between January and June this year. While 114 of them were men, eight were women.

A total of 110.624kg of illicit drug, he said, was seized during the period under review with cannabis sativa known as marijuana topping with 107.26kg.

Other seizures were cocaine, 138.2 grammes, heroine, 100.54grammes, liquid methamphetamine 2.615kg and solid methamphetamine 510 grammes.

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The NDLEA commander said the agency also arraigned 22 suspects during the period, out of which eight convictions were obtained while 28 fresh cases were filed.

He expressed optimism that the agency would fight drug abuse and trafficking in the state, asking stakeholders to join hands in the campaign against drug abuse.