By
Isaac Arkoh/Oye Gyimah, GNA
Cape Coast, Nov 12,
GNA – The Central Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in
accordance with the Public Health Act 2012, ACT 851 has destroyed quantities of
unwholesome products to safeguard public health and safety in Cape Coast.
The destroyed items
valued at GH¢29,000.00 included non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, milk,
herbal medicines, cosmetics, frozen meat and other items.
The products were
seized from FDA’s operational zones including pharmacies, hospitals, markets,
manufacturing and retail shops through an intensive market surveillance across
the Region in the last five months.
Mr. John
Odai-Tettey, the Regional Director of FDA in an interview with the Ghana News
Agency (GNA) said the exercise was to serve as a wake-up call to all
manufacturers, importers, individual shop owners, cold-store owners and
wholesalers to disengage in the sale of expired, fake and unregistered goods.
He called on
consumers to be bold to expose those dealing in unwholesome or expired items by
reporting them to the Authority for immediate action.
They must also
critically check the expiry date, batch number, labels of food items and
legibility of the manufacturers before purchasing the products.
He cautioned persons
selling expired products to stop because when caught, sanctions or jail term
awaits them depending on the quantity of the expired products on the market.
Mr. Odai-Tettey also
advised the consumers to have enough time to always examine products and it’s
environment especially during the Yuletide when all sorts of products flood the
market to safeguard themselves against toxic or outdated products.
He further urged operators
of food and drug manufacturers to always exercise good manufacturing practices
and avail themselves for training and industrial support programmes routinely
organized by the Authority and also licence their operations and products to
avoid the consequences.
GNA
