Akua Amponsaa Owusu, the Regional Head of FDA
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited, has destroyed a variety of unwholesome foods, drugs, herbal medicinal products, cosmetics, household chemicals as well as tobacco and tobacco products worth GH¢191,806.80 in Sunyani.
The items were identified and seized during FDA’s routine inspections in 1,478 shops located in 28 districts in Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions since June last year, as part of measures to ensure that safe and quality products are offered for sale.
Giving the breakdown of the items seized and destroyed, Akua Amponsaa Owusu, the Regional Head of FDA, said the cost of drugs seized during the exercise was GHC55,084.20, while that of food products summed up to GHC130,410.60, with cosmetics, medical devices, household chemicals, and tobacco & tobacco products amounting to GHC6,311.00.
“Also, the Bono Regional Office of the FDA has supervised six safe disposal activities from different industries and companies that willingly contacted FDA which amounted GHC1,022,602.10,” she also added.
Madam Amponsaa Owusu explained that the Public Health Act (Act 851) section 132, sub-sections two (2) and three (3) mandate and require the FDA to supervise the disposal of unwholesome FDA-regulated products in a manner that does not pose a health risk to the general public.
Safe disposal
“These products are safely disposed off in a manner that prevents the re-introduction of these unwholesome products into the supply chain for human and animal consumption”, she further said, adding that the “consumption of unwholesome products knowingly or unknowingly may pose diverse health challenges to the consumer.”
The FDA Regional head stated that unwholesome products such as expired, improperly stored, improperly labelled, substandard, fake, adulterated foods, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and household chemicals when consumed or used in any amount may be injurious.
“The FDA wishes to alert the public to be cautious when shopping especially during this Covid-19 era. Please check the expiry dates, the storage/handling conditions, FDA registration number, and the integrity of products before purchasing. Avoid expired products, products with tempered packaging, and products with no English labelling,” she added.
She called on the public to can contact the FDA Bono Regional Office on 0352028791 or 0557887310 or 0595633851 when in doubt or for further clarification on any of our regulated products and gave the assurance the FDA will continue to ensure that regulated products offered for sale are wholesome and safe to protect public health and safety.
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