Open market sales of powdered milk: LASCOPA sensitises manufacturers, market executives

AS part of efforts to guarantee the safety and protection of consumers from hazardous products, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has organised a follow-up meeting with powdered milk manufacturers and Market Executives in the State.

The follow-up meeting, held at the LASCOPA Office, had in attendance, representatives of various powdered milk manufacturing companies and those of executive members of some markets in the State.

Speaking to participants during the parley, the General Manager of LASCOPA, Mrs. Kemi Olugbode said that the follow-up meeting became necessary to proffer better ways to address the handling and sales of powdered milk which is currently sold in sacks in the open market like other commodities.

“Powdered milk cannot be exposed, it can only be sold in packaged form, particularly because milk cannot be exposed to air,” Olugbode said.

The General Manager said that there had been a consensus that the present method of display, handling and sales of powdered milk in the open market makes it unwholesome and unsafe for consumption and therefore should be stopped.

She promised that LASCOPA would organise a series of seminars to educate traders on the best ways to handle and sell the product to ensure that it is not contaminated.

The manufacturers were also advised to provide smaller packages of their products instead of the usual 25kg size, particularly because of small entrepreneurs, emphasising that the package should have an inscription stating that the milk is only for industrial use.

Olugbode further disclosed that LASCOPA, in conjunction with the Market Executives of the various markets in the State and Powdered Milk Manufacturers would establish a Task Force to commence enforcement on defaulters after the training programme.