The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed four unregistered bakeries in Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas of Rivers state.
The agency said the four bakeries were operating without registration licences and with unhygienic practices.
The NAFDAC Director, South-South Zone, Chukwuma Oligbu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Oligbu said the discovery followed the agency’s bid to stamp out the prevalence of quack and substandard bakeries in the state and the zone in general.
He added that after shutting down the bakeries, the owners were directed to the NAFDAC zonal office in Port Harcourt for questioning.
While noting that investigation was ongoing, Oligbu warned that defaulters of the agency’s extant regulations risk prosecution and possible jail term if convicted.
The statement read, “The bakeries were operating without registration licences and with very poor hygienic practice.
“Pans with dough were being kept on the floor, the make shift buildings were with open and uncovered windows, bakery workers were not well kitted with Personal Protective Equipment.
“Lister generator sets were sited inside the production rooms, and there were no factory flow, etc.”
The NAFDAC Director said the bakeries shut down includs: Reigns Bakery – Okabie Street, Off Bakery Road, Rumuigbo in Ohio/Akpor LGA, Dvine Freedom Bread – 3, Omasi Street, Rumuomasi Street 1, Port Harcourt.
The others are De Heroes Bakery – Wonda Street, Psychiatric Road in Obio/Akpor LGA and The Lord’s Abundant Bakery – 5, Elder Ezebunwo Street, Off Obi Wali Road, Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor LGA.
“The four bakeries visited were subsequently shut down, and the owners directed to report at the Zonal office for questioning while investigations continue.
“Samples of the produced bread were taken for laboratory analysis,” the statement added.
He implored producers of NAFDAC regulated products to seek guidance by visiting the agency’s office for advice in setting up their facilities and businesses.
The agency threatened to make Rivers State and the entire South-South Zone uncomfortable for recalcitrant and illicit producers who do not want to abide by NAFDAC standard.

Chinedu Wosu

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s support in positively shaping the future of youths in the country.
Governor Fubara gave the assurance on Tuesday at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Nonwa-Gbam, in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the swearing-in ceremony of the 2024 Batch B Stream 1 Corps Members deployed to the State.
A statement by the Head of Press Unit, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Juliana Masi, said a total of 1,771 Corps members were sworn-in during the ceremony.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Hamilton Amadi, Sir Fubara noted that he would continue to make conscious effort “to give priority to the welfare of youths by providing them an enabling environment to discover and harness their God-given potentials”.
He commended the management of the NYSC for their strategic improvement to sustain the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, designed to empower Corps members and make them self-sustainable at the end of the service year.
Earlier, the Rivers State NYSC Coordinator, Mr. George Mfongang, commended the Corps members for their honest and patriotic sacrifices in nation building in the last 51 years.
He urged them to see their mobilisation into the National Service as a rare privilege that should motivate them to work hard to entrench unity, socio-economic development, peace and prosperity of the nation.
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Hon. Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, represented by Justice Opufaa Ben-Whyte, administered the Oath of Allegiance on the Corps members at the occasion.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Wednesday, decorated two Honorary Special Marshals in Rivers State Command.
In a remark at the brief ceremony in Port Harcourt, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Muhammed, affirmed the continued commitment of the corps to society and humanity.
The decorated honorary special marshals were King John Dimkpa, the Nkpe of Alesa Kingdom in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers, and Mrs Salome Onduku.
Muhammed, represented by the Zonal Commanding Officer, RS6HQ, Assistant Corps Marshal, Henry Benamaisia, described road safety as a shared responsibility of the society all over the world.
According to him, respected citizens partner with government to effectively handle societal challenges, therefore, volunteers are needed as key partners in development.
“The two persons we are decorating today are citizens with proven track records.
“It is worthy to note that volunteerism comes with sacrifices to society as an individual volunteer and this cost your time and resources”, he said.
The corp marshall said the new special marshals were given the honour due to their selflessness and support to society through the corps.
He expressed gratitude to the volunteers for their strength and support to the corps, saying that “their dedication had been acknowledged”.
Mohammed emphasised the need for volunteers who would play the role as key partners in societal development to join the corps.
He encouraged the newly decorated marshals to remain committed in the discharge of their duties.
Earlier, the FRSC Rivers State Sector Command, Christopher Kuje, said the decoration of the two honorary special marshals was to recognise their immense contributions to road safety in Rivers and in the country at large.
Kuje said the marshalls had helped in achieving the goals and mandates of the corps to save lives on the road through the provision of infrastructure and operational facilities.
He urged the decorated honorary special marshals to do more, saying that their selfless service was what spurred the agency to honour and recognise them.
He further charged the public to emulate the special marshals by using their time, talents and treasures to promote the agency.
The National Coordinator, Special Marshals Volunteers in Nigeria, Dr John Ugbebor, while decorating the two persons, pledged that they would continue to be committed to serve humanity.
Ugbebor commended the marshals and others in service for their selflessness and support to society through the corps.