The Nigerian Senate is working to make it illegal for fruit sellers to use harmful chemicals like calcium carbide to ripen fruits faster. This is part of a new plan to protect the health of people who buy and eat these fruits.

Many lawmakers have spoken out, saying that this chemical ripening method is dangerous. They believe it is a serious health risk to people all over the country. The Senate now wants more investigation into how common this problem is.

Senator Anthony Okorie Ani from Ebonyi South raised the alarm. He asked for quick action from agencies in charge of food safety to deal with the growing issue.

Following his motion, the Senate has directed NAFDAC and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to find out how much this harmful practice is happening in Nigeria.

Senator Ani also explained how using these dangerous substances can cause major health problems. These include cancer, kidney failure, and other life-threatening illnesses. He warned that if this continues, it could hurt many Nigerians.

To stop this from getting worse, the Senate wants stricter punishments for people who use toxic chemicals to ripen fruits. This way, it will scare others from doing the same and help keep Nigerians safe.

The Senate has now passed this issue to the Health and Agriculture Committee. The committee will look deeper into the matter and decide what steps to take next.