The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has shut down 44 food manufacturing facilities, including sachet water producers and cold stores, for failing to comply with food safety regulations.
The closures followed a nationwide enforcement exercise conducted by the Authority to ensure that food businesses adhere to approved safety standards.
During inspections in the Ga East and Ga West Municipalities on Wednesday, July 22, the FDA identified several unlicensed facilities operating under unhygienic conditions. Some operators were also found to be manufacturing food products without the required regulatory approval.
Speaking to the media after the exercise, FDA Head of Communications, Mrs Rhoda Ewurabena Appiah, said the Authority would continue to enforce food safety regulations to protect public health and ensure that only licensed businesses operate in the country.
“Several facilities have been closed down,” she said, adding that the FDA remains committed to safeguarding consumers by taking firm action against businesses that violate food safety laws.
As part of the enforcement exercise, the FDA also closed down Virgen Natural Mineral Water, a sachet water production facility at Ashongman in the Ga East Municipality, after it was found to be operating without the required licence.
The Authority has urged all food manufacturers to comply with regulatory requirements or risk sanctions, including the closure of their facilities.
Credit: Adomonline