By Nii Martey M. Botchway
Tema, Jan. 19, GNA – The Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) has closed down Nana Boakye Herbal Centre and sanctioned Nikki Massage Centre for operating with expired licences and unregistered staff.
The two facilities, in the Tema Metropolis, were found to be in breach of the Council’s regulations during a regulatory enforcement exercise carried out by the Council’s Compliance, Inspection and Enforcement (CIE) Unit.
The exercise, which aimed at safeguarding public health through strict compliance with licensing and professional standards, also sought to ensure that practitioners of traditional and alternative medicine operate within the provisions of the Traditional Medicine Practice Act, 2000 (Act 575).
During the exercise, an inspection at Oduma Herbal Boutique revealed that one of its workers was unregistered, while Ancient Herbal operated with an expired licence.
However, the two facilities were deemed compliant and allowed to reopen after immediate payment to initiate the registration process and instant licence renewal, respectively.
The team also inspected Mallam Abdullah, a raw material dealer, That Day Herbal, and MH Organic Shop, all of which were found to be operating within the approved regulatory framework and fully compliant with licensing and registration requirements.
Addressing the media, the Head of Compliance, Inspection and Enforcement, Mr. Michael Lawson, said the purpose of the exercise was to intensify the Council’s mandate of promoting, regulating and educating practitioners, while safeguarding public health.
Explaining the enforcement actions, Mr. Lawson said Nana Boakye Herbal was closed down because its operational licence had expired for eight years, while Nikki Massage Centre’s licence had expired for two years.
He said, in addition to operating with expired licences, Nana Boakye Herbal was employing two unregistered workers, while Nikki Massage Centre was operating with five foreign massage therapists, all in violation of Act 575.
Mr. Lawson who urged practitioners to ensure that their facility licences are valid and that all workers were duly registered, said the Council would continue regular inspections to protect the public from unregulated practices.
“Enforcement actions are not punitive, but intended to uphold standards and build public confidence in traditional and alternative medicine practice,” he said.
He further appealed to the public to patronise only licensed facilities and to report suspected illegal operations to the Council, adding that the TMPC would roll out similar enforcement exercises across other metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies in the coming weeks.
GNA
26 Jan. 2026
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong
