Kwara Warns Garri Processors, Other Vendors Over Lassa Risk

The Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency has warned food processors and street food vendors across the state to comply with strict hygiene and waste management standards or face sanctions, as part of efforts to curb the spread of Lassa fever.

The agency’s Press Secretary, Aliyu Amode, in a statement on Wednesday, stressed that the agency is concerned about environmental practices that could heighten the risk of the viral disease.

“Food handlers occupy a critical position in safeguarding public health, particularly in preventing contamination during food processing, storage and sales,” the statement reads.

The development followed a now refuted social media post claiming that corps members at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Kwara State had died from Lassa fever.

THE WHISTLER reports that the Kwara State Government debunked the reports.

The government, in a statement on Tuesday by the Ministry of Health’s Press Secretary, Saad Hamdalat, stated that the state’s Rapid Response Team (RRT), led by the State Epidemiologist, investigated the claims after rumours surfaced on February 8 and found no evidence of transmission or infection among corps members or camp officials.

The NYSC State Coordinator, Olaoluwa Onifade, further clarified that the corps member mentioned in the online posts had a pre-existing chronic condition and died at a health facility outside the camp, with no laboratory confirmation linking the death to Lassa fever.

The General Manager of Kwara State Environmental Protection Agency, Jide Aina, directed garri processing factories and other food production facilities to ensure that raw materials and finished products are at all times stored in rodent-proof containers. He also stated that regular cleaning of processing equipment and facilities, as well as proper waste disposal, are crucial to prevent rodent infestation.

The agency also warned street food vendors against unsafe practices such as displaying or spreading of food on bare ground, roadsides or other exposed surfaces.

Aina urged food vendors to always cover food items, maintain personal hygiene, wash hands regularly with soap and clean water, and dispose of refuse responsibly instead of dumping waste in drainage channels or public spaces.

“Key preventive measures include maintaining clean surroundings around business premises, using safe water for food preparation and ensuring proper handling and disposal of food packaging materials,” he said.

He further announced that the agency would intensify routine inspections and enforcement activities across the state, warning that defaulters would face sanctions in line with environmental health regulations.

“Ensuring proper hygiene and waste management is not optional; it is essential to protecting lives. Together, we can drastically reduce the risk of Lassa fever and promote a healthier Kwara State,” he stated.

He also called on food business operators and residents to demonstrate collective responsibility in maintaining environmental cleanliness, stressing that preventing Lassa fever requires proactive action from all stakeholders.