Health and environmental experts and officials have identified inadequate personnel as a major factor hampering effective inspection of restaurants and eateries to ensure safety of foods consumed by Nigerians.
According to them, dearth of trained personnel, working tools and incentives was also affecting their ability to monitor the operations of the eateries.
Besides, the stakeholders said that various levels of government have neglected the issue of environmental health for too long.
Mr Yandeh Mairiga, President, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Kaduna state branch, told NAN in Kaduna that shortage of manpower and lack of enabling laws had crippled the environmental health sector.
He cited the example of Kaduna state, where only 100 certified environmental health officers are currently employed by the government.
According to him, the figure is grossly inadequate for a state with an estimated population of eight million people.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) standard for environmental health inspectors is one officer to 8,000 people.
“In our case the situation is one inspector to 80,000 people. How can our impact be felt,” he said.
Mairiga blamed the situation on government’s failure to encourage professional certification of environmental health officers (EHOs).
He, therefore, urged governors in the country to address the problem in order to enhance healthy environment and protect the citizenry.
According to Mairiga, the law provides that every food vendor and operator be certified by environmental officials to enable them operate in a healthy environment.
“Restaurant operators think cooking does not need any specialised training, so they jump into it with the traditional way of cooking without the basic of a clean environment.
“As environmental health officials, we have the right to seek a court injunction to seal any place found wanting until the right thing is done.
“But we are crippled by inadequate manpower to effectively monitor and certify every food vendor,” said the president.
He said that no matter the nutritional value of food, its method of preparation could make it detrimental to human health.
The environmental official, therefore, urged the three tiers of government in the country to recruit more environment health professionals to enforce environmental laws and promote healthy living.
Alhaji Jafaru Gwarzo, the Sarkin Tsaftar Kano and Head of Sanitary Inspectors in the state, also said that there were very few EHOs in the state.
He said it was difficult to assign the few personnel to monitor eateries alone.
“There are no inspectors purposely tasked with checking food selling joints due to limited number of personnel,” Gwarzo said.
He disclosed that the immediate past administration had re-introduced sanitary inspection across the state, and expressed the hope that Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje would fully support continuation of the programme.
He said this was necessary in order to make sanitary inspection a regular exercise and a part of the people’s life.
Hajiya Altine Hamisu, a food vendor in Badawa area of Nasarawa Local Government, supported the deployment of environmental health personnel to monitor eateries in view of the health hazards posed by some of them.
She observed that the absence of sanitary inspection over the past years have brought negative effect to food selling trade.
“Some food sellers donít care about their own personal hygiene, not to talk of their environment or the food they sell.
“So I honestly welcome the idea of re-introducing sanitary inspection at food selling points.
NAN reports that Gov. Ganduje had pledged to recruit and train more people who would serve as sanitary inspectors across the state.
Mr Onoja Onoja, Kano state Coordinator of National Agency of Food, Drugs Administration and Control, said they carry out routine inspection of food being sold in the state to ascertain their suitability for human consumption.
He said that although there was no law compelling proprietors of fast foods joints to register with the agency, yet NAFDAC have the mandate to conduct routine checks on their activities.
“Our task is to ensure that consumers are not prone to expired and contaminated foods, so we usually inspect stores, kitchen and their counters to ensure that there are no contaminated and expired stuff.î
In Kebbi, Alhaji Alami Gwandu, Deputy Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, said constant monitoring had ensured the safety of food being sold to the general public.
“Most of the restaurants and eating stalls around markets are being cleared of dirt, while sources of water supply, waste disposal and clearance of drains are being strictly monitored.
“The monitoring teams ensure that restaurants are not crowded while the personal hygiene of staff conforms to set standards, to avert food contamination and outbreak of diseases”.
Gwandu said that government officials also monitor sources of food stuff and ingredients supplied to restaurants.
He said operators of public eateries had been advised and guided on measures to adopt to prevent sale of contaminated food.
The director explained that the process of inspection begins from when the ministry receives an application, which would only be granted if it conforms with the laid down criteria.
Gwandu said it was mandatory for those working in restaurants or eateries to obtain a medical certificate from recognised government hospital, in order to safeguard public health.
“We have some staff that monitor anomalies in local restaurants, and we organise periodic training, sensitisation and seminars to all categories of operators and staff of public eateries.”
Malam Modu Bama, who operates a local cafe, confirmed regular visits by sanitary inspectors, which has made him to keep his tea joint clean at all times.
Madam Faith Okon, who runs a popular restaurant in Birnin Kebbi, said in addition to inspection by ministry officials, she also endeavoured to keep the place clean in order to attract customers.
A report from Lagos also said that EHOs in the state are operating primarily in the local government, state ministries of Environment and Health, respectively.
The report said that the low number EHOs in the country is due to a decline in the numbers being employed by the federal, state and local governments.
Mr Cyril Akinyele, South-West Public Relations Officer, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, told NAN that food control officers conduct routine inspection of various eating houses at least twice in a quarter.
The eateries include staff canteens, joints, bukas and restaurants, while ‘bukasí that donít meet standards are demolished after routine inspection.
According to him, the EHOs do compel food handlers to undergo medical fitness test in government hospitals or health centres to determine the state of their health before handling foods to further ensure safety of foods
Part of the test for the food handlers include spectrum, faecal and urinal tests to ensure that the food handlers are free from diseases which can be transmitted through handling of foods.
Akinyele also said that inspection of raw foods is usually carried out to ensure the food materials are still within consumption threshold limit value.
“The environment where the food is prepared or processed must be clean and devoid of pollution or contamination of any kind.
He said sources of water is an important area during food inspections, a water analysis is been carried out to know how safe and wholesome the source of water is, as it contributes to about 75 per cent of food preparation from processing to consumption.
The EHOs also inspects the storage of foods which must be stored in a conducive environment that will not aid growth of bacteria.
“Some food items such as chicken, fish, turkey or beef must be well refrigerated and must be allowed to thaw before being cooked in order to avoid growth of microorganism,íí said the official.
He pointed out that many bukas did not have preservatory mechanism thereby subjecting the food to microbial multiplication which will later lead to food poisoning, warning that it is dangerous eating in such environments.
“That is the reason we do demolish most bukas because they couldn’t meet up with the minimum standard of food preparatory and serving for public consumption.
“While a constant routine inspection enhance wholesome foods in restaurants as they are been compelled to the standard.
However, the official called on the three tiers of government to employ more EHOs to reduce the cost expended on curative medicine.
“As we all know that prevention is better and cheaper than cure,íí said Akinyele.
But some Lagos residents gave their reasons for their preference of patronising the bukas rather than restaurants.
Mr Charles Udoma, a banker, said he preferred to eat at the buka due to its natural taste and cheap.
He said they have varieties and prices, and customers can easily make their choice of food
“Buka is the place to eat and have an undiluted taste of natural ingredients, no need of artificial taste ad itís cheap and affordable, Udoma said.
Miss Oluwatosin Lawal, a corps member, also said eating at buka was more convenient for her.
Lawal, posted from Abuja, said she has been looking forward to eat from various buka to have a good taste of Lagos cooking styles.
“I find it convenient to eat freely in a buka without any ‘protocol. In restaurants, one will have to be comported to just eat a meal. Local food comes with its own special aroma from the local spices, she said.
“Health wise, they are the best because they donít use preservatives, you are sure of not having any terminal disease such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high sugar.
Mr Etim Udoh, a lawyer, said he normally have nostalgic feelings anytime he eats at the buka because of the expertise displayed by handlers of such places.
“Eating at any buka reminds me of home in Akwa Ibom where food is prepared so well, ëí he said.
