RSG May Raid Shops For Expired Goods

Worried by the increasing rate of expired goods in the markets in Rivers State, the state government has resolved to clampdown on perpetrators and ensure their prosecution.

Commissioner of Environment, Hon Kingsley Chindah gave the warning at a meeting he held with supermarket and shop owners in Port Harcourt, recently.

Hon Chindah stated that henceforth government would no longer fold its arms as shop owners endanger the lives of the citizenry.

Henceforth, he warned that any warehouse or store found to be housing expired drugs be closed down. He disclosed that staffers of the ministry have been mandated to inspect stores and supermarkets for expired goods

He stated that the officials would be required to take index of impounded goods in duplicate with the shop owners retaining one.

After that, he noted that the company would be made to pay a fine to designated banks before such a warehouse or store would be reopened.

Hon Chindah however warned officials from taking bribes as any officer caught in such act would be disciplined.

He also disclosed that the ministry would liaise with owners of expired goods on a date when impounded goods would be destroyed with the shop owner retaining certificate of crushing such products.

Hon Chindah further informed the union members that laws on expired goods were not new, but were being revived by the present administration in order to protect the lives of the citizens, while warning supermarkets and shop owners from barring officials from carrying out their duties.

Earlier in his remarks, the Legal Advises to supermarket owners union , Barrister Cosmas Enweluzo commended the commissioner for effecting the law on expired goods, which according to him had been dormant over the years.

Barrister Enweluzo assured that no member of the union would sell expired goods and therefore called for transparent enforcement by the officials.