Government shuts down 19 bakeries in NW

A total of thirty three bakeries in the North West region have tasted the wrath of the ministry of public health for not complying with the laws surrounding the hygienic conditions of the domain. Among the thirty three bakeries, four of them have been closed down indefinitely, 14 warned while 15 others suspended till further notice.

According to a communiqué signed by the minister of public health, Andre Mama Fouda on October 31, 2014, the victim bakeries were illegally using saccharin and or potassium bromated (carcinogenic product) in bread-making which according to the minister are forbidden by Codex Alimentarius (International Food Standard) and equally disallowed by the national food standard (NC 63: 2002-20). The bakeries closed-down include Ben Bakery- Batibo, Winners’ Bakery-Batibo, Family Modern Bakery-Mbengwi and Saint Bernard Bakery in Bamenda III.

The communiqué also states that fifteen suspended bakeries have been operating in severe unhealthy conditions and malpractices. The said bakeries include: Our Lady Special Bakery- Bafut, Bali Best Bread Bakery-Bali, International Bakery-Bamenda II, Our Favourite Bakery- Bamenda II; Pee Bread Bakery-Bamenda II, Muchuo Eric Bakery-Bamenda II, Confidence Bakery-Bamenda III, Ferdinand Special Bread Bakery-Bamenda III, Glorious Bakery- Bamenda III, MECIG Bakery-Bamenda III, Young Boy Bakery (Y.B.B)- Bamenda III, Molo Molo Bakery-Bamenda III, C and Bros Bakery-Bamenda III, Alhadji Bakery-Batibo and Muswe Bakery in Mbengwi.

The fourteen bakeries that received warning have also been given a maximum of three months to correct their poor hygienic conditions and malpractices. They include SAJOCAH Bakery-Bafut, Emmanuel Sister Bakery-Bafut, Kave Bakery-Bamenda II, A &G Bakery- Bamenda II, Oska Best Bread Bakery-Bamenda II, Best Bread Bakery- Bamenda II, Imagine Bakery-Bamenda II, Prince Bakery-Bamenda II, Patisserie Bakery-Bamenda II, King Claude Best Bread Bakery-Bamenda III, Top Star Bakery-Bamenda III, Emeka First Choice Bakery-Bamenda III, Mr. Baker Bakery-Bamenda III and Abi Fall Bakery in Mbengwi.

Few months behind, several cartons of bread that were seized from the same bakeries were diagnosed of a dangerous chemical “benchmark” which was medically proven to cause cancer and other unhealthy complications in the human system. Health officials in the North West region stormed bakeries to control unhealthy conditions.