Francis Afotey Mensah
The Food & Drugs Authority (FDA) has called on manufacturers not to advertise unlicensed products.
Addressing a stakeholders’ meeting over the weekend at the Best Western Plus Hotel in Accra, Kofi Essel of the Industrial Support Services of the FDA, said his outfit would not entertain food products that have not been analysed and scientifically proven for sale to the public.
He said, henceforth, FDA would deal mercilessly with such producers.
“Don’t hide any food products you sell to the public. Ensure you bring yourself in compliance with regulations of the FDA.”
Mr. Essel urged warehousing operators to ensure stacking discipline for products.
He also advised distributors to embrace complaints from users of the products to provide feedback to manufacturers.
According to him, FDA would soon be tracking goods dispatched to particular buyers through their batch numbers.
He added that “don’t display alcoholic beverages in the sun. This is waste of investment. Government and workers will take their due but the final consumers will shun products.”
“Returned goods should not be kept near ready for sale products so that inadvertently such products would mingle with them and find their way back to the market.
Salomey Heyman-Taylor, a nutritionist, said though some beverages have tigernuts and ginger as their ingredients, patrons should ensure that they often eat these food crops in their raw state.
The stakeholders’ forum was organised by Liberty Industries, manufacturers of Kpoo Keke, a local beverage.
Nii Botwe Laryea II, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Liberty Industries, in a remark, said that some people have started producing fake Kpoo Keke beverage.
“Don’t buy products without tax stamps to help disincentivise the manufacture of fake products.”
Francis Afotey Mensah, an official of Liberty Industries, said new security features would be introduced for an improved product, adding that an ultramodern factory was being put up to produce more beverage to feed the market.
Joseph Bempong Wiredu, an official of GRA, advised retailers and wholesalers of products to ensure that they comply with tax obligations so their businesses would not be disrupted.
By Samuel Boadi