The House of Representatives says too many Nigerians are falling sick from contaminated food and the government needs to act fast.

Food safety was a big topic at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

The House of Representatives called on the Federal Government to step up action on food safety because cases of foodborne diseases are on the rise, cbinews.tv reports.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Edo lawmaker, Mr Billy Osawaru.

The motion, titled Need to tackle the increasing rate of foodborne diseases, stiffen food safety regulations and increase its public awareness in Nigeria, got massive support during plenary.

Osawaru pointed to a World Health Organisation report which shows that unsafe food causes about 600 million illnesses globally every year, that is one in nine persons, and 1.5 million deaths, with Africa recording the highest numbers.

He said the House is aware of government efforts under Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 12 to promote healthy lives and sustainable food production, and the mandates of NAFDAC and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria to regulate food safety.

But he listed the real problems, chemical hazards, poor hygiene among food handlers, open defecation, lack of clean potable water especially in rural areas, weak enforcement by NAFDAC and SON, and poor infrastructure in markets and abattoirs. According to him, these are the major reasons people are losing their lives after eating contaminated food.

He expressed concern that despite commitments, Nigeria still records about 50 million cases of foodborne diseases and over 53,000 deaths yearly from unsafe food. In total, about 4.26 million healthy years are lost every year to illness, disability and premature death, with over 80 percent being children under five.

He added that the country is also losing an estimated 3.6 billion dollars every year to foodborne illnesses through lost productivity, medical bills and trade restrictions.

Osawaru also cited reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention that link recurring cholera outbreaks across states to contaminated food and water, which clearly shows the gaps in sanitation and infrastructure.

When Speaker Tajudeen Abbas put the motion to a voice vote, it enjoyed overwhelming support.

After adopting it, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, NAFDAC, SON and NCDC to strengthen surveillance, inspection and certification across the entire food production chain.

It also mandated the House Committee on Healthcare, Food Safety and Nutrition to work with NAFDAC, NCDC, SON and other stakeholders to ensure funds for food testing equipment are included in the next supplementary budget, that training and retraining of food handlers is prioritised, and that legislative gaps are identified for amendment.

The House further urged the Ministries of Health and Water Resources to urgently invest more in clean and potable water and provide proper sanitation infrastructure to prevent contamination of food by water.

And it directed the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to launch continuous public awareness on food safety, personal hygiene and the risks of consuming roadside food without proper caution.

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