The Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) says given that food is at the centre of safety, there was the need for food handlers to have the requisite skills and competence to manage it.

It further said mishandling of food and non-adherence to safety best practices in food safety and hygiene could jeopardize the health and wellbeing of the generality of society.

This was contained in its message to participants at a Two-Day Training on Capacity Building and Certification on Food Handling, Food Safety, and Food Hygiene held on February 22-23, 2020 at the Finima Youth Centre, Finima, Bonny LGA in conjunction with Baxel Management and Consultancy Services Limited.

Managing Consultant of Baxel Management and Consultancy Services Limited, Dr Bara Kabaka Brown enjoined the participants to see food safety as vital to societal wellbeing and a veritable skills that is currently in high demand across the globe.

“You all need to see food safety as an important component of safety because there are only about two persons in Bonny as whole who are trained food hygienists. Your training has afforded you the opportunity to be one now, a food hygienist and with ISPON certificate you are well placed higher than your peers.”

According to the Brown, who is an Associate Member of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON), the training programme “aimed at preparing our people to be ready to manage food in industrial kitchens, know how to preserve food and at the end of the training they were issued with ISPON Competency Level Certificates”.

The training programme, which was coordinated by Baxel Management and Consultancy Services Ltd, had 23 participants drawn from different parts of Bonny LGA.

In its avowed bid to enhance the skills set and diversity and versatility of competence of the people of Bonny LGA, the Mayor Ala Hart Foundation (MAHF) sponsored six persons. It has prior to this also sponsored people to acquire skills in different training fora.