The Head of Edo State Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) scheme, Mukhtar Yusuf Osagie, has said that the scheme will intensify efforts in its campaign against the proliferation of fake products in markets across the state, especially during the Yuletide.
He disclosed this during the passing out parade of 20 volunteers of the scheme in Benin City.
Osagie urged the newly-trained volunteers to discharge their duties diligently by ensuring that they act responsibly, adding that any PUWOV member found to violate the scheme’s laws would be dismissed.
He noted that part of the responsibilities of PUWOV is monitoring of the sales and consumption of fake consumables and other food products in the state during the yuletide season.
“As we approach the yuletide season, a lot of people are going to be selling fake products, food stuffs and other consumables.
“We will deploy a unit to monitor the buying and selling of consumables and products,” he said.
Osagie stated that setting-up of the monitoring unit became necessary as a result of the rising cases of life threatening ailments relating to the consummation of fake products, which he said had claimed many lives.
He said: “You would agree with me that most of the diseases relating to kidney, liver and heart failure are as result of the contamination of foods and adulterated products brought to the public domain during the yuletide season.
“The Edo State government, through this unit, is not going to be working in isolation but would be collaborating with other relevant agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in Nigeria (NAFDAC) in ensuring that all the consumables like alcoholic drinks and other food products are duly certified before putting them out for commercial purposes.”
Osagie further said that the unit, which was made-up of 20 personnel of the first batch of the trainees, would be expected to train others across the three senatorial districts.
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