The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the draft Food Safety and Quality Bill as well as the Food Safety Institutional Reform working document.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who disclosed this noted that with the approval of the two documents, the country would witness a reduction in the incidence of food borne illnesses through the preventive controls that were already contained in the bill.

The minister said the documents would also help to support the achievement of sustainable effective food trade that would boost and enhance the economy.

Part of the institutional framework in the bill, according to him, is to set up the Food Safety Council that will be chaired by the Vice President as well as an inter-ministerial committee that will handle food management as well as food safety in Nigeria.

Adewole said the council also approved a draft National Tobacco Control Regulation.

He stated, “Under this administration, we have recorded several successes with respect to tobacco anti-control. Precisely, early this month, Mr. President approved increases in tobacco taxes as well as alcohol.

“And then on May 23, the government approved the framework to control illega