The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Eastern Region has destroyed five tonnes of unwholesome products which they said posed risk to the health of consumers in Koforidua.

Under the strict supervision of the FDA and environmental health officials in the regional capital, the unwholesome products were crushed and buried at the Akwadum dumping site near Koforidua.

The products included expired and unregistered assorted food items, substandard and expired medicines, unregistered cosmetic products, unregistered herbal concoctions, expired blood collection bags and expired assorted carbonated drinks.

Surveillance

The Head of Enforcement at the FDA, Mr Joseph Yeboah Gyau, said the products were seized through post-market surveillance activities conducted at pharmacies and chemical shops, warehouses, supermarkets, cosmetic and provision shops as well as medical laboratories across the region.

He said the expired food products were seized during the Christmas season as part of measures to protect the consuming public.

Diligence

Mr Gyau, urged the public to be alert by checking the expiry and manufacturing dates of items before purchasing them to ensure their safety.

"Occasionally, some goods are able to beat Customs to get onto shelves and shops across the country. Some of the smuggled goods expire quickly on the shelves and that is why we urge all consumers to be alert and check expiry dates of products anytime they go out to shop,” he said.

The officer said contrary to concerns that the FDA was causing businesses to go through financial stress by their actions, the authority was rather working in the interest of consumers and was, therefore, committed to ensuring that sale outlets only sell wholesome goods to the public.

Similar exercise

Last week, the FDA in the Central Regional undertook a similar exercise, destroying unwholesome goods worth GH¢214,000.

The items which included food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, chemical substances and mechanical devices were disposed of at the Nkanfoa landfill site last Friday.

The items, weighing about 2.3 tonnes, were seized from routine market surveillance activities in warehouses, pharmacies and supermarkets between June and December last year while others were submitted voluntarily to the offices of the FDA for safe disposal.

Source: graphic.com.gh