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The Central Regional Directorate of Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) has given unlicensed packed-water producers in the region an ultimatum to register with the Authority or face the full rigours of the law.

The Authority said it had information that some water producers carried out their activities only at night, weekends and public holidays to outwit the FDA and had urged such producers to regularize their operations by mid-August to avoid arrest and prosecution.

Mr Kingsley Nsiah-Poku, Regional Head of the FDA, said this at a workshop in Cape Coast saying from next month the Authority would “separate the men from the boys”.

The four-day workshop organised by the Authority for a total of 200 managers and supervisors from 100 packed-water companies across the region is aimed among others at educating the producers on the Public Health, 2012 (Act 851).

Other topics for the workshop include “good hygienic practices, good management practices, pest management and documentation”.

Mr Nsiah-Poku said the Authority will not countenance the activities of any unlicensed producer and urged the public to be vigilant and report suspected unlicensed water producers to help safeguard public health and gave the assurance that the identity of informants would be protected.

He said having a Ghana Standards Authority logo on products does not mean it has been registered and warned those who pirate the manufacturing rolls of popular packed-waterbrands to stop the practice because the FDA was going all out to get them.

Mr Nsiah-Poku said before a product is registered, the manufacturer’s premises must be inspected and licensed by the Authority, whilst the product must go through laboratory tests among other documentation processes.

He urged the public to be mindful of what they consume and also guard against unwholesome products to protect their health.

Expired food and drug products purchased must not be returned to shop but sent to the FDA offices for such items to be used as evidence against the owners of shops who put the health of unsuspecting consumers at risk and the possible refund of their monies.

He said the FDA would continue to undertake its routine, unannounced and emergency checks to rid unwholesome products from the market and called for the support of all to make the exercise worthwhile.