Some items about to be destroyed
The Ho Municipal Assembly has destroyed hundreds of cartons and bottles of expired and unwholesome beverages as well as food products confiscated from two retail outlets and a warehouse belonging to a businesswoman in the Ho Municipality.
The destruction was supervised by the Environmental Health Unit of the Assembly at the Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP) at Akrofu following an order by the Ho District Court after the successful prosecution of the businesswoman, Madam Angela Nukunu.
The products, which had been seized during investigations into the distribution of expired food and beverages, included 125 bottles of Appela Orange Cocktail, 35 bottles of Choco Cola, two bottles of Rambo Citrus (350ml), eight bottles of Fanta (1.5 litres), one bottle of Veraldo (350ml), three bottles of Biggo (350ml), 16 bottles of The Game Energy Drink (350ml), 128 cartons of The Game Energy Drink, 90 cartons of Peeve Orange Cocktail and 124 cartons of Bel 7 Star Energy Drinks.
Also destroyed were three bottles of Sangria Forte Pettelante, 18 packets of biscuits and 10 packets of Royal Cream Biscuits.
In all, 224 individual items and 342 cartons of assorted beverages and food products were safely destroyed under the supervision of environmental health officers.
The Ho Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Rev. Lawrence Senya, said the exercise marked the final stage of a legal process that had been before the court for several months.
He stated that the products were seized from the businesswoman’s premises following investigations by the Environmental Health Unit and kept in the custody of the Assembly until the court determined the case.
“The case has been in court for some time and has finally been determined. The court imposed the appropriate sanctions on the offender and authorised the safe destruction of all the confiscated products,” he disclosed.
Rev. Senya said the destruction was carried out in collaboration with IRECOP to prevent the products from finding their way back onto the market, while ensuring that recyclable materials were properly recovered.
He said the bottles and cans were emptied before being handed over for recycling, adding that plastic containers and metal cans would be processed separately.
According to him, the exercise demonstrated the Assembly’s commitment to protecting public health and preventing unsafe food products from reaching consumers.
Rev. Senya urged consumers to be vigilant when purchasing beverages and packaged food products, particularly by checking expiry dates and examining the condition of containers before buying or consuming them.
He cautioned the public against consuming drinks or canned products that were bulging, swollen, dented or damaged, explaining that such conditions could indicate fermentation, contamination or chemical reactions.
“Even if a product has not expired, once it is bulged or dented, it may no longer be safe for consumption. The protective lining inside the container may have been compromised, making the contents hazardous to human health,” he warned.
He further appealed to members of the public to report shops suspected of selling expired or unwholesome food and beverages to the Environmental Health Unit for investigation and appropriate enforcement action.
The case originated from intelligence received by the Environmental Health Unit from residents of Nyive, a border community near Togo, who reported that expired carbonated soft drinks were allegedly being distributed to unsuspecting consumers.
Following the tip-off, a task force conducted an operation on June 8, 2025, during which several beverages were seized.
Further investigations uncovered additional expired products at another retail outlet at Dave Junction and a warehouse located within Madam Nukunu’s residence.
The court heard that Madam Nukunu operated multiple retail outlets and warehouses without valid Business Operating Permits and had failed to honour repeated invitations by the Environmental Health Department to assist with investigations.
She was also accused of obstructing Environmental Health Officers in the performance of their lawful duties.
On July 17, 2025, the Ho District Court, presided over by Mr. Albert Annor-Owusu, ordered the temporary closure of the retail outlets at Nyive and Dave to enable Environmental Health Officers to conduct forensic examinations of food and beverage products found on the premises.
At the conclusion of the trial, Madam Nukunu pleaded guilty to two counts.
The court convicted her on her own plea and sentenced her to pay a fine of 100 penalty units on each count, with 12 months’ imprisonment in default. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
The court further ordered her to pay GH¢8,400 to cover the cost of destroying the confiscated products.
Environmental Health officials described the destruction as a strong warning to traders dealing in expired and unwholesome food products, stressing that the Assembly would continue its routine inspections and enforcement of food safety regulations to protect public health.
FROM Daniel K. Orlando, Ho