Samuel Ackon
Mankessim (C/R), June 15, GNA-The Central Region Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has observed this year’s World Food and Safety Day (WFSD) with a call on the public to ensure that food is safe and in good condition before consumption.
The Day was observed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and Ghana Trade and Investment {GTI) of the USAID, among other relevant food value chain players.
The FDA and its partners marked the day with a public sensitisation exercise on food safety, which took them to the Mankessim Market, and various schools, including Hariom International School, Mfantseman Basic School, and Hood-brook Smith Academic complex.
This year’s event held on the theme: “Food Standards Save Lives,” was the fifth edition.
The Day was instituted by the WHO to help create awareness of the need for the production, sale and consumption of safe food.
The WFSD also seeks to draw attention of all stakeholders to help prevent, detect and manage food borne risks for food security, human health, economic prosperity, agricultural production, market access, tourism and sustainable development.
This had become critical because the WHO has cautioned that food borne diseases affected one out of 10 people worldwide each year and that billions of dollars were lost in productivity due to unsafe foods in low and middle-income countries, including Ghana.
Madam Francisca Obeng, Central Regional Head of the FDA, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the Authority over the years had adopted various strategies and initiatives such as the new street food vending permit to promote food safety in Ghana.
She tasked consumers to report anyone suspected of selling unsafe food to the public through the consumer complaint unit of the FDA to investigate for the necessary action to be taken.
Mrs. Agnes Moore, Vice-President of the Mankessim Market Women Association, said food safety should be on the minds of people at all stages of the food value chain from production to harvesting, transportation, processing and consumption.
She charged market women selling contaminated food to desist from the habit as it had the tendency of causing food poisoning.
Mrs Moore advised consumers to always buy safe food.
GNA