FDA Committed To Ensuring Safe Foods On Ghanaian Market– Deputy CEO Assures

Mr Rodrick Daddey Adjei

Mr Rodrick Daddey Adjei, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) says his outfit is determined to monitor, inspect and ensure foods and drugs available on the Ghanaian market are safe for human consumption.

He noted that the FDA would be implementing a reviewed high standards for producers and manufacturers of Foods and other substances meant for consumption.

Speaking at the World Food Safety Day in Kumasi on Wednesday on the theme, “Food Standards, Save Lives”, Mr Adjei disclosed that 600 million people every year battle with diseases from the consumption of food substances.

“This worrying phenomenon presents us with the task to ensure that every food substance that is found on the Ghanaian is wholesome for human consumption and that which conforms to the standards set by FDA and the Ghana Standards Authority, our collaborators”, the Deputy CEO stated.

USAID:
Mr Paul Moore, Director at the United States Department of Trade and Investment pledged his outfit’s commitment to supporting the FDA and its allied agencies to ensure that the Ghanaian markets are full of wholesome food substances.

He noted that the USAID was determined to partner Ghana to strengthen the development of food safety standards and ensure those standards are endorsed and registered in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

This, he noted would grant Ghana the opportunity to export its wholesome products and medicinal substances on the world market.

“The United States Trade and Investment outfit has the commitment to partner with Ghana to develop its standards and regulations governing the production of food and drugs so that it can be acceptable at the World Trade Organisation (WTO)”, Mr Moor intimated.

World Health Organisation:
Dr Akosua Kwakye, representative of the World Health Organisation (WTO) said the rate people were dying from the consumption of food and other consumables was scary.

She intimated that 600 million people across the world were getting sick from the consumption of food and drug related substances.

Out of this number, she noted that 420 million die every year from complications arising out of these diseases.

“We at the World Health Organisation believe that no one should die from eating food and this is the reason we are happy to partner Ghana’s FDA to implement standards meant to make their foods and medicinal substances wholesome for consumption and export”, the WHO representative posted.

Regional Agric Director:
Reverend Dr John Manu, Ashanti Regional Director of Agriculture who chaired the occasion, noted that in Ghana many of diseases that are reported at the hospital are food related.

This, he said presents the FDA and all allied agencies the huge task of ensuring that all foods and related substances are produced at high standards that would make their consumption safe.

Regional Director of FDA:
Speaking during a panel discussion, Ashanti Regional Head of the FDA, Mr John Laryea Odai Tettey said his outfit was not relenting in monitoring and supervising the production of wholesome products on the market.

He noted that the implementation of high standards was the panacea to ridding the Ghanaian market of unwholesome food and medicinal substances.

There were presentations from allied bodies and international associations such as the Food and Agric Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), Ghana Standards Authority(GSA) and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and others.