The Food and Drugs Board (FDB), in the Upper East Region, has uncovered large quantities of expired Fan milk products released by Fan Milk Ghana Limited, onto the market in the Upper East Region.
Subsequently, the FDB has warned of a possible legal action
against Fan Milk Ghana Limited for deliberately flooding the market
with expired products, especially in the Upper East Region.
The Upper East Regional Zonal Officer of the FDB, Mr Eugene Addo
disclosed this to the GNA in Bolgatanga, after the Directorate had
gone on a field inspection in Bolgatanga, Sandema, Navrongo and Paga.
He said the Board seized large quantities of expired Fan Milk
products, produced by Fan Milk Ghana Limited and supplied just three
days ago before the swoop.
Mr Addo condemned the action of the company and said it must not
be left to go unpunished because it was a public health issue and
human lives were involved.
According to Mr Addo, his outfit issued seizure notices to the
Shop owners involved, which was meant to show in evidence to Fan Milk
Ghana Limited for them to replace the expired goods, before any action
is taken.
He said surprisingly, after speaking to the management of the
company, they refused to do the replacement and rather responded that
they had no business to transact with the FDB.
He said the FDB meanwhile, is looking for a suspected Kumasi
based supplier of fake Salsa tomato paste products and at the same
time planning a legal action against him.
The Fake Salsa Tomato Paste has the last �S� letter turned upside
down to mimic the original Salsa product, which has been registered
with the FDB.
According to the FDB, it cannot guarantee the wholesomeness of
this product and warned the tomato consuming public to watch out for
the original Salsa writings when they purchase the product.
The legal suit threat comes in the wake of the FDB�s refusal to
register the product, but the supplier went ahead and supplied large
quantities to the consuming public. .
He said the unregistered tomato product has no country of origin
and manufacturers had been seized by the FDB.
Other unregistered and expired products seized by the FDB include
assorted drinks, with most coming from neighbouring countries like
Burkina Faso, Togo and Ivory Coast.
Mr Addo wondered why such expired products, which were very
dangerous for human consumption, were sent to the Upper East Region
and stressed that, the people in Upper East Region could not be taken
for granted.
He said for instance, Madam Zariatu Ayanse, who was found to be
distributing the unregistered Salsa tomato to shop owners at the
Bolgatanga Market, said she bought them from Kumasi.
Mr Addo said the FDB would sustain the surveillance, to rid off
unregistered and expired products from the system.
He said the FDB would embark on an educational campaign on radio,
in the various dialects in the region, and that plans were advanced by
the FDB to open offices at the Misiga and Paga borders in the Region,
to check the influx of unregistered and expired goods.
The Zonal Officer said the unregistered tomato paste product,
which the FDB uncovered was very cheap on the market and expressed
fear that food vendors, chop bars and restaurant operators, as well as
the contractors and suppliers of the School Feeding Programme could be
tempted to go in for it to prepare meals for the unsuspecting members
of the public to maximise profit.
The FDB also used the occasion to educate the shop owners and
market women to check the expiry dates on the products and verify
whether such products were registered with the FDB.
Mr Addo reminded the consuming public to inspect the goods they
buy for expired dates before buying.