By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Bolgatanga, Nov. 18, GNA – The management of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Upper East Region says it will ensure the Region becomes the most regulatory compliant in the country.
It noted that staff would continue to undertake regular routine market surveillance, and engage manufacturers, importers, exporters, food vendors, drugs, herbal medicinal dealers, cosmetics and other household chemical substance dealers on the need to comply with laid down regulations.
Management in line with its mandate as indicated in the Public Health Act 851 of 2012, said it would ensure that rules against the sale of food under unsanitary conditions and deception of consumers were strictly enforced.
Mr Abel Ndego, the Authority’s Acting Regional Head, at a day’s training workshop for dry storage facility owners and operators, stressed that, “We want to make sure that Upper East becomes the most regulatory compliant Region in Ghana.”
He noted that the training workshop, not the first of its kind, was intended to equip participants with the requisite knowledge and information to make better choices and decisions to effectively execute their businesses within laid down regulatory framework.
“We will ensure that all products that are in circulation are first of all registered by the FDA, the facilities in which they are sold are licensed and the people doing the distributions are properly accredited.
And they have the ample information and required skills to be able to ensure that these products are distributed safely,” the Acting Head said.
Mr Ndego noted that storage conditions had direct effect on the quality and safety of products saying, “And so if you are able to effectively follow the manufacturer’s requirements for storage, it helps to maintain the shelve life integrity of these products.”
Ms Joyce Agana, a Principal Regulatory Officer of the FDA, who took participants through good storage and distribution practices, urged them to adhere to manufacturers instructions on storage conditions.
She emphasized the need for storage facility owners to practice first expiry, first out method and keep temperature conditions suitable for their products by creating appropriate storage places for their products.
She insisted that products meant for refrigeration must be refrigerated, while those to be placed on shelves and pallets were done accordingly.
“Good storage is dependent on temperature, when products are stored according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then the integrity of the product is guaranteed,” Ms Agana said.
Mr Jiah Jiato Juah, the Authority’s Regulatory Officer One, admonished business owners and operators against smuggling of unregistered products into the Region, and urged them to register their products with the FDA.
“Let’s stop the smuggling and begin to register products in our Region. Once you register your products, you can freely sell and move them to any Region, sell and make more money,” he said.
On disposal of expired products, Mr Juah said facilities with such products needed to apply to the FDA for officials to inspect and take a list of the products with attached payment receipts, which would be forwarded to the Authority’s Headquarters.
He said a disposal certificate would then be issued to the business owner and explained that “With the disposal certificate, business owners can use it to reduce the tax they would have paid to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
“But if you decide to keep the products, and dispose them off yourself, FDA will fine you, and you will still lose the tax component because you will still pay tax to GRA,” he told the participants.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Christian Akorlie