A Senior Lecturer at the Planning Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Stephen Takyi has urged Government to decentralize the Food and Drugs Authority FDA by using the district assembly sub-structures and also resource the Authority with ultra- modern laboratories to make more efficient and effective.

A decentralized system according to the Development Planner would make the FDA proactive to protect the general public from consuming toxic foods and medicines which are flooding in Ghanaian markets.

Dr Takyi who was a panel member on the Kumasi based OTEC 102.9 FM’s morning show “Nyansapo”,on Thursday September, 8,2022 stated that  ‘’the state should resource the  FDA to establish  laboratories across the country to enable it  conduct tests on foods and other consumables to help eliminate junk foods from the system’’.

The Senior  lecturer’s concerns followed a warning by the FDA told OTECNEWS that, it was going to issue punitive measures against traders who display beverages, canned foods, sachet and bottled water to direct sunlight.

“Compliance monitoring is a continuous process, and I strongly believes the FDA should be given enough personnel and resources to always check the quality of foods display on market in every corner of the country “, Dr Takyi told the programme’s host Captain Koda.

Background

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned shop owners to desist from exposing water and beverages to direct sunlight. It added that the authority has teamed up with other state security agencies to arrest and prosecute traders and distributors who fail to comply with the directives.

The move according to FDA was part of the authority’s efforts to protect the public from consuming unwholesome foods and products on market.

The Ashanti Regional Principal Regulatory Officer for FDA, Abenaa Agyapomaa Asiamah who spoke in an interview on the Kumasi-based OTEC 102.9 FM’s morning show “Nyansapo” Tuesday September, 6, 2022 indicated that “we should pay attention to the labels found on drinks and water and where is a statement as store in a cool dry place and not in direct sunlight.”

The FDA says it is very dangerous to consume beverages including packaged water that are directly exposed to sunlight.