The Upper West Regional office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has disposed of over 5,000 non-compliant FDA-regulated products in the region as part of its regulatory activities to ward off unwholesome products from the market.
The FDA seized the products, which included expired non-alcoholic beverages and medicinal products, hydroquinone-contaminated cosmetic products, unregistered aphrodisiacs and tobacco products, among others, during its market surveillance in 2024.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa during the safe disposal exercise, Mr Kelvin Dafaari, the Upper West Regional Head of the FDA, indicated that sellers of the seized products were prosecuted and some fined various sums of money according to the Public Health Act 2012, (Act 851).
He said the regulatory body would not relent on its efforts in ensuring that every FDA-regulated product sold on the Ghanaian market was safe for consumption.
Mr Dafaari encouraged producers and sellers of FDA-regulated products to voluntarily contact the FDA for the safe disposal of their expired and unwholesome products.
He said any person caught selling such products would be dealt with according to the law.
Section 132, sub-sections two (2) and three (3) of the Act mandates the FDA to supervise the disposal of unwholesome FDA-regulated products in a manner that does not pose a health risk to the public.
Mr Dafaari also cautioned the public against buying unwholesome products, especially food during this festive season because some people tend to sell expired and other unwholesome products, especially in rural communities.
“They (the sellers) think that the Christmas period is the best time for them to sell expired products to people who they think cannot read and cannot differentiate something wholesome from unwholesome, especially in the Upper West Region here”, he explained.
He advised the public to always check for the expiry date, the “best before” date, and the physical appearance of the product’s package before buying.
The FDA Regional Boss advised them to desist from buying bloated or dented canned products because such products were unwholesome for consumption.
GNA