The Senate, on Wednesday, resolved to amend existing laws to prescribe stiffer punishments for users of harmful chemical substances in food production in Nigeria.

It directed relevant regulatory agencies to urgently enforce food safety standards through legal and administrative means.

The upper chamber’s resolution followed the presentation of the report of the Senate Joint Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) and Agricultural Services Production and Rural Development.

Presenting the report, the committee’s chairperson, Ipalibo Banigo, said the report was titled “Urgent need to investigate with an intention to halt the continuous unwholesome practices of chemical ripening of fruits by fruit sellers in Nigeria.”

The lawmakers also urged the federal government to strengthen laws and enforcement mechanisms to stop the widespread use of harmful substances in food production across the country.

They also directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), among others, to “embark on continuous public sensitisation and enlightenment campaigns on the dangers of chemical ripening of fruits and other unsafe food handling practices.”

Ms Banigo said the committee’s findings revealed that some fruit vendors and food handlers now engage in the forced ripening of fruits with raw calcium carbide, a toxic chemical known to cause serious health complications.

“It also found that some cook meat with paracetamol to soften it, preserve grains with sniper (Dichlorvos), wash fruits and vegetables with detergents to make them look fresher, and soak cassava in detergent or hypo solution,” the lawmaker said.

She cited data showing that Nigeria recorded more than 14,000 cases of cholera in 2025, resulting in 378 deaths, while 119 people died from food-related Lassa fever infections within the same period.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that the country suffers more than one million cases of foodborne illnesses annually, leading to economic losses of more than $3.6 billion,” Ms Banigo said.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said, “We intend to ask our Legislative Compliance to follow up on the report.

“We will also ensure that the relevant agencies take up the task so we don’t poison Nigerians as a result of the intake of chemically ripened fruits.”

(NAN)