The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has served notice to prevent the importation of unregistered products through the country’s ports from February 1, 2021.
According to the FDA, henceforth, it will begin the strict enforcement of registration activities on imports before clearance at the country’s ports.
Head of the Imports and Exports Control Division of the FDA, Emmanuel Yaw Kwarteng, speaking on Eye on Port programme believes the decision would rid Ghana’s market of unregistered, and potentially unwholesome products.
He was of the view that it would be wise to take the aforementioned decision instead of Market Surveillance Team go round checking for unregistered products for seizure and destruction.
The FDA chief implored importers who intend to bring in FDA regulated products like food, household chemicals, medicines, medical devices and cosmetics to commence registration processes prior to the importation of these items.
“You cannot bring them in, unless you register. The registration process as elaborate as is it, takes you through many processes that will finally assure the final consumer of the safety, efficacy and quality of product,” Emmanuel Kwarteng stated.
According to him, the cost of registration of items has been reduced by 80% to encourage compliance, and thus, traders’ excuse of cost would not be condoned.
He said a risk-based approach is currently being used in the assessment of products now which has halved the initial duration used in processing registration.
Mr Kwarteng warned that importers who fail to register FDA-regulated products before clearance, will face the consequence of repatriation of their goods at their own cost as well as pay an administrative fine.
He said the FDA has observed that unregistered goods cleared under detention at consignees’ warehouses intended for registration before release on the market has proven to be ineffective as these unregistered goods find their way on the market.
FROM Vincent Kubi, Tema