By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, Aug. 30, GNA – Divine Bosson, Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has announced that the Assembly would soon establish new food standards to help ensure public safety.
He said the initiative would help introduce a new regime in food safety and standards and promised to ensure the best collaboration and effective consumer protection.
The MCE was addressing a durbar at the Ho Central Market, organised by the FDA to mark the 2023 World Food Safety Day celebration.
Mr Bosson joined stakeholders, including the Ghana Standards Authority and market groups, to call for upended standards for foods and other direct consumables.
“The Municipal Assembly will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the FDA, market associations, street vendors’ associations and consumer advocacy groups, to establish and enforce the food safety standards that protect the public’s health.”
“Additionally, the Government of Ghana is actively engaged in strengthening regulatory frameworks and increasing investment in food safety measures to guarantee the quality and safety of the food supply chain from production to consumption,” the MCE stated.
He urged all to be proactive in identifying and reporting any suspicious food practices and hoped vigilance would become the responsibility of all for a safer community.
The Celebration was on the theme: “Food Standards, Saves Lives,” and stakeholders noted the widespread culture of displaying foodstuff for sale on bare floors at the market, raising alarm over the risk of disease.
The Ho Central Market is no exception in the primitive presentation of foodstuff for sale, as multitudes avoided trampling food items laid along pathways and lanes in the large exploding market.
Madam Rejoice Norvihoho the market queen also said the risk of food contamination and the fear of tuberculosis and hepatitis lingered in the tight-packed environment.
The said stakeholder interventions should cover dealers in fast foods and drinks and others including producers of sachet water.
Mr George Akurugu, the Volta Regional Head of the FDA, said the display of food items on the floor subjected them to extreme contamination and should be addressed.
He said the FDA and partners continued to battle groundnut and palm oil adulteration in the country and hoped the celebration and its theme would help improve the present food quality regime in the country, citing the recent spate of food contamination that has proven dire.
“We want to use this platform as FDA to make everyone know that life can be dangerous if we consume the wrong food,” the Regional Head stated, appealing to market folk to support the campaign.
There were officers of the Environmental Health Department and the Ghana Standards Authority to provide some education while officers of the FDA sent the food safety campaign to traders and buyers at various locations, distributing flyers and souvenirs.
The durbar was proceeded by a route march in the market vicinity, and staff of the FDA in the Region and colleagues from partner institutions to raise awareness.
GNA