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Plastic Materials In Semovita – NAFDAC Respondents To Claim
A social media video claiming that semovita includes plastic elements was disproved on Monday by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, or NAFDAC.
According to a news release from the agency, a scientific examination of the semovita’s composition showed that plastic components are not present.
A social media video depicting a woman washing Golden Penny Semovita in a sieve with cold water has caught the notice of NAFDAC, according to a statement signed by Prof. Christinah Adeyeye, Director General of NAFDAC. According to the woman, the residue she obtained after sieving contained plastic.
“A similar video was shown in 2020 and that led to a Press Release similar to this. Upon receiving the alerts from various quarters in the community in 2020, the Director General immediately gave a directive to conduct emergency post-marketing analysis using different brands of Semolina.”
Continuing, Adeyeye said the Agency investigated the claim by conducting appropriate analytical testing in her internationally accredited laboratories.
“The results showed that there were no plastic or any similar harmful contaminants in Golden Penny Semovita.
“It contained the expected components plus the required Vitamin A. NAFDAC, therefore, wishes to inform the general public that the claim in the social media video assertions is misleading.
“The alleged Golden Penny Semovita is a brand of semolina, a very popular flour made from wheat and consumed in several parts of the world. Semolina contains mainly water, carbohydrates and about 13 per cent of gluten-forming proteins.
“Gluten is made up of two classes of proteins – glutenin and gliadin, which upon addition of water combine to form gluten, a protein that gives nutritive value and imparts other characteristic properties to the product. Glutenin normally gives a bread dough the ability to rise during baking while gliadin gives it the viscous and elastic (viscoelastic) properties, or it simply makes it extensible and elastic.
This latter property is the rubbery/plastic-like appearance that was exhibited in the said video. Semolina has no plastic content in it; it only exhibits viscous and elastic properties. The rubbery-like material that was observed in the video after many washing with water is the gluten that formed after the gluten-forming proteins get mixed with water.
“There is no cause for apprehension by consumers as such approved products are manufactured in line with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and in compliance with the Nigerian Industrial Standards, which is continuously monitored by NAFDAC,” she added.
She warned Nigerians to use social media with caution if they have any concerns about regulated products because turning to social media often results in panic and dread.
The Enugu State Government has commended the Republic of Finland for the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based leader of the proscribed separatist group, Autopilots.
Ekpa has been accused of orchestrating violence and chaos in Nigeria’s South East region.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the government described Ekpa as a “common criminal, con man, and terrorist” who has exploited the Igbo people while claiming to represent their interests.
RELATED NEWS: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
“The Enugu State Government welcomes the arrest of the Finland-based terrorist, Simon Ekpa,” the statement read.
“His arrest and trial will no doubt go a long way in strengthening peace, security, and stability in all parts of the South East.”
The state government accused Ekpa of sponsoring violent activities that have resulted in the loss of lives, destruction of property, and disruption of the region’s economic activities.
It stated that Ekpa’s actions were driven by personal greed and not genuine concern for the Igbo people.
Onyia said, “Ekpa is a murderer and fraudster who delights in killing his people and living large off their misery.
“He thrives on manipulating, exploiting, and extorting the people on the pretext of fighting for their interest and for the restoration of Biafra.”
The government emphasized its readiness to provide evidence of Ekpa’s alleged crimes to support his prosecution, whether in Finland or Nigeria.
“This arrest is in line with the demand of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration, which has repeatedly made it known that Ekpa is a megalomaniac, common criminal, murderer, and fraudster who takes joy in feeding fat on the manipulated emotions of Ndigbo and inflicting misery on the South East region,” the statement added.
The government further criticized Ekpa for fostering a climate of fear and insecurity that has harmed the entrepreneurial spirit and economic growth of the Igbo people.
“Ekpa has for long, and unfortunately from Finland, made a living by creating a siege climate and mentality in the South East, destroying lives, property, and the Igbo trademark of entrepreneurship and hard work,” Onyia said.
The Enugu State Government expressed optimism that Ekpa’s arrest would mark a turning point in the quest for peace and stability in the South East, urging residents to remain vigilant and supportive of ongoing efforts to restore normalcy in the region.
The COP29 presidency has unveiled an ambitious climate finance plan, calling on developed nations to provide $250 billion annually to developing countries by 2035.
The proposal, part of a broader initiative to mobilize $1.3 trillion from public and private sources each year, seeks to address the mounting challenges posed by climate change.
The five-page draft text, released on Friday, emphasizes the need for developed nations to lead the charge in financing climate action.
RELATED NEWS: COP29: Climate Summit Faces Deadlock Over Vague Funding Proposals For Vulnerable Nations
According to the document, this financial commitment is seen as a critical step toward combating the climate crisis and fostering sustainable development globally.
“In this context, it is decided to set a goal in extension of the goal referred to in paragraph 53 of decision 1/CP.21, with developed country Parties taking the lead, to USD 250 billion per year by 2035 for developing country Parties for climate action,” the draft states.
The announcement follows the release of an earlier 10-page draft on Thursday, which drew significant criticism from Global South delegations.
Many expressed frustration that the document lacked clear financial commitments from wealthier nations, falling short of expectations to support adaptation and mitigation efforts.
“There is a clear need to address the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, especially given the diverse circumstances shaping national priorities,” a negotiator from a developing country delegation remarked.
The updated proposal aims to address some of these concerns by outlining more specific targets. However, skepticism remains among some negotiators, who feel the revisions still fail to adequately address their demands.
Meanwhile, developed countries have raised their own reservations about the proposed plan.
A European negotiator, speaking to Reuters, described the $250 billion annual target as unrealistic and criticized the lack of measures to expand the pool of contributing countries.
“No one is comfortable with the number because it’s high, and there’s almost nothing on broadening the contributor base,” the negotiator said.
The mixed reactions underscore the persistent divide between developed and developing nations in climate negotiations.
While the draft text aims to reconcile these differences, the gap between expectations and commitments remains a significant hurdle.
The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.
In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’
ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations
The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.
He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.
Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.
“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.
“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from
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