By Daniel Abe
As part of efforts to ensure food safety in various communities in the Irewole Local Council Development Area of Ekiti State, the council’s management has organized a seminar for food vendors in the area on Tuesday.
The programme, which took place at Iloro-Ekiti town hall, was declared open by the Executive Chairperson of the council, Hon. (Mrs) Dupe Bakare represented by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Samson Kolawole.
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Bakare said the programme was put together to sensitize food vendors in the LCDA on the need to be hygienic in their cooking and maintain a clean environment.
The council boss emphasized the need for all stakeholders in the business, including hoteliers, millers, restaurant owners, beer sellers, hawkers, herbal mixture sellers, etc, to invest in food safety, and all hands must be on deck to sustain the cause.
She added that maintaining the highest standard of hygiene while working with food components prohibits and controls the spread of diseases.
She urged all participants in the seminar to translate whatever they learn into their businesses, noting that the Department of Environmental Services of the LCDA will ensure strict compliance with the implementation of safety rules in their respective canteens.
Also speaking, Head of Local Council Administration, Mr Vincent Babatunde commended the impressive turnout of the food vendors for the seminar, noting that the council organized the programme to educate the vendors on the need to always maintain food hygiene and sanitation practices.
On her part, Director of Environmental Services, Irewolede LCDA, Mrs Mercy Ayileke, expressed optimism that food and nutrition-related illnesses and diseases will be far from the LCDA after the seminar, which is targeted at making the vendors a catalyst of the war against health threats in Irewolede LCDA.
Ayileke enjoined the food vendors to be mindful of their health and to endeavour to do regular medical check-ups, saying it is for their own good and the consuming public.
The resource persons, Mr Bayode Popoola, Director of Environmental Services, Ijero local government and Mr Jimoh Sanusi, Director of Water and Sanitation Department, Ijero local government, harped on the need for the food vendors to see cleanliness and total hygiene as a priority while carrying out their businesses.
They said the food vendors play a pivotal role in society, hence the need to ensure compliance with food safety norms and enhance the credibility of their businesses.
Responding on behalf of the participants, Mrs Deborah Oladunjoye commended the management of Irewolede LCDA for organising the programme, adding that the seminar will further enlighten the food vendors on the danger of not keeping a hygienic environment.
At the end of the programme, certificates were issued to the participants, with a call on them to always display the certificates in their respective shops, while those hawking should always go out with a photocopy of the certificate.
The programme also featured free medical check-ups, while drugs were distributed to those who tested positive for malaria.