FDA Organises Clean-Up Exercise At Agbogbloshie Market

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Zoomlion Ghana mobilised authorities to clean Agbogbloshie market in their campaign to keeping Ghana clean.

The clean-up exercise and market durbar formed part of activities of the First Food Safety Conference being organised by the FDA to develop strategies to counter emerging challenges in food chain and to promote safe food practices among Ghanaians.

Mrs Delese Darko, the Chief Executive Officer of the FDA expressed concerns on the way and manner most food vendors served and preserved their food stuffs, adding that most food stuffs are not preserved in the right way and process making it unhealthy for human consumption.

She stated that exposure of produce to unfavourable storage conditions, poor hygiene practices and conditions in the markets and food adulteration of food are some of the challenges faced in Ghana.

She said the challenges were a threat to food security and food safety in Ghana, saying “1856.56 metric tonnes of pre-packaged food were destroyed in 2016 due to poor storage practices.”

She said food fraud alone was estimated to cost consumers up to §40 billion dollars globally and the food industry §10-15 billion per year.

Mrs Darko said increase in demand for semi processed foods in Ghana had led to the emergence of various types of food products on the market.

This consequently, she said had resulted in an increase level of deception by people in the food sector for financial gains.

“Although most food fraud practices occur unnoticed, the FDA in line with its mandate to protect public health and safety has carried out several investigations into activities of food fraud in recent times.’’, she said.

She assured Ghanaians that the FDA would be there to teach them on how to live a healthy life.

Reverend Chris J. E. Y. Gawugbe, the Environmental Health Officer of the AMA thanked the FDA for the laudable opportunity and also urged Ghanaians to adhere to good sanitation practices.

He expressed shock on how some fish sellers displayed their wares on the ground and sell closer to gutters.

He cautioned them that it is not allowed to display food stuffs below three feet on the floor.

“We must be held responsible for our cleanliness on where we sell, because when you kill the individual slowly your sales also dwindle.’’, he added.

Tony Asare, a participant of the clean-up exercise commended the FDA and its collaborating partners for the exercise and urged the sanitation agencies to continuously aid them in cleaning the market.

Mr Korley Dudor, the Assembly Man of the Agbogloshie Community tasked them to keep a cleaner environment to attract more buyers.

The AMA urged the Contractors responsible for collecting and disposing off refuse to also work efficiently by maintaining a healthy environment.

Source: GNA