FAAN warns food vendors at airports

Our Reporter

THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN)  has threatened to stop food vendors at airports nationwide if their products expose passengers and others suffer airport users to poisoning.

FAAN said it would hand over any vendor who sells stale and contaminated food to the officials of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for probe and prosecution.

Its Managing Director, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu said at the  maiden World Food Day Safety awareness workshop at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, that the authority would subject operators to routine six months medical examination to ascertain their fitness and personal hygiene.

He said the authority had to raise the bar in pre-qualification requirements for the vendors to enable them meet best global practices in the food vending value chain.

FAAN, Yadudu said, would continue to collaborate with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( (NCAA), NAFDAC, Port Health Services, Lagos State Safety Commission and other stakeholders to ensure that persons approved to supply food at the airports comply with world class health regulatory and environmental prerequisites.

He said vendors must be scrutinised to ensure that they  meet the medical requirements and ensure that they operate in a clean environment.

He said: ”Any food vendor found to be involved in selling any food at airports that results in poisoning or contamination will be shut. All operators must submit their food, personnel to medical screening.

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”This can only be achieved if we are able to identify and control factors that mitigate against food poisoning, which threaten the welfare and survival of our staff and customers.”

In her presentation, a resource person, Ms Arese Ojelade, while speaking on the topic: “Aviation industry and food safety: Connecting the link”, canvassed routine inspection and audit of the vendors as part of efforts to keep them in check.

She called for certification of the vendors, whom she said must look out for their source of water; transportation system ; supply chain ; state of hygiene of the workers and the environment in which food is prepared.

Ojelade said:” FAAN has to look at the quality of food sold at the airports. If there are infractions in service , people need to know who to report to for redial action because of hazards that could lead to injury or loss of lives.”