Ministry of Health clamps down on fake drinks, producers in Calabar

Officials of the Cross River State Ministry of health has on Friday clamped down on a firm involved in quackery and unhealthy production of the locally made Zobo drinks, selling them to unsuspecting members of the public.

Tribune Online found out that one Mr Bassey Gideon Attah a resident of No.5 Atekong Lane Off Douglas Bassey, State Housing Estate who owns a Zobo production firm and failed the criteria of food safety regulations in the state was caught operating a zobo production factory in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital.

Mr Attah who has been producing fake and unhygienic Zobo for public consumption for a couple of years now until he was apprehended and the firm shut down by the State’s Ministry of Health pleaded for mercy and denied knowledge of such regulatory agency.

His words, ” I never knew there was such an agency still force, I never knew that certain standards are set up for the production of Zobo” and promised never to embark on such illegality.

Speaking during the inspection, Dr Betta Edu frowned at the level of wickedness that could be exhibited by some persons to their fellow man.

“It’s so unfortunate that people could be this wicked and mean to their own fellow man, you can imagine the environment where the said Zobo is being prepared for public consumption,”

“The so-called fermented ginger which he claims adds spice to the Zobo drink is always left open with flies perching on it, the containers are unwashed and most times picked up at very dirty drainages and trashes, the environment itself is an eyesore yet people work here in the name of producing Zobo,” Dr Edu noted.

She continued, “tell me why there won’t be an outbreak of diseases like typhoid, dysentery, cholera etc. As a government we’ll not allow this to happen, as such whoever is caught will be made to face the full weight of the law just like this man here today.”

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Dr David Ushie on his part called on cross Riverians to not be quiet when notified about such illegal activities.

He reacted, “pls do not keep quiet when you come in contact with such illegal activities that could cause severe disease outbreak to the general public but should immediately call the attention of the State Commissioner for healthy, the ministry of health or even the Police so legal actions can be taken on such a person.”

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