Deadly drink: Four table water factories shut down for endangering public health

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed four table water factories over poor manufacturing practices.

The affected factories include Oral Water and Logistics Limited, producers of Yireh Yaweh Table Water, and Le-Starlight Table Water in Jikwoyi.

Others are Daraja Table Water and Iris Table Water and Beverages, makers of Siris Table Water in Karshi, Nasarawa.

NAFDAC enforcement officers locked the factories during an inspection in Abuja on Monday due to violations.

Wilberforce-Glory Albert, NAFDAC’s Mararaba Office Subunit Head, said the agency acted over concerns about product quality.

She explained that the facilities failed to meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards, prompting immediate enforcement.

According to her, some factories lacked pallets for stacking finished products, affecting hygiene and production standards.

She added that several factories operated without production managers to oversee compliance with GMP regulations.

NAFDAC officials also discovered that some facilities lacked proper licensing, violating regulatory requirements for water production.

Poor packaging materials, inadequate lighting, and untrained staff were among the identified issues at the sealed factories.

Albert stressed that all affected companies must correct these deficiencies before resuming operations.

“These are serious violations, so we sealed them and invited their managers for further investigation,” she said.

She also revealed that this operation marked the beginning of a broader enforcement campaign across several areas.

NAFDAC has now established a new office to monitor activities in Mararaba, Keffi, Nyanya, Jikwoyi, and Kurudu.

“This new office, under the FCT Directorate, is called ‘Greater FCT’ and will enhance regulatory oversight,” Albert stated.

She warned producers against manufacturing substandard products, insisting that NAFDAC would not tolerate regulatory violations.

“This enforcement will continue. We just started, and we will ensure factories comply with GMP,” she said.

She emphasized that unlicensed producers would face legal consequences if they failed to meet required standards.

Some factory owners claimed to be registered but could not provide valid documentation when asked.

NAFDAC instructed them to submit all necessary documents for verification at the agency’s office.

The agency also noted that the sealed factories would pay penalties for regulatory breaches.

“If their licenses have expired, they must renew them and settle investigation charges,” Albert warned.

NAFDAC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the production of safe and high-quality bottled water nationwide.

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