Court fines chop bar operator GH¢2,400 for running facility without health license

Florence Mensah, a Chop Bar owner in Tema’s heavy industrial area, was fined GH¢2,400.00 by the Tema Community Centre District Court for running a restaurant without a Medical Health Licence.

In default, she will go to jail for one week.

The Court Presided over by Siren Mahama fined Florence on her own guilty plea to three charges of dumping refuse in a public drain, burning trash in an open area, and failing to have a medical health certificate.

She was penalised GH¢1,200.00 for the first count, GH¢1,800.00 for the second count, and GHS2,400.00 for the third count, all to run concurrently.

Saudatu Issaka, an Environmental Health Analyst, prosecuting, stated that when Environmental Health Officers inspected the accused’s premises, they discovered haphazardly disposed of and burnt rubbish in the open.

Officers also discovered some of the refuse in the stormwater drains, according to the prosecution.

According to the facts, as presented by the prosecution, Florence was called to the scene and all of the problems were pointed out to her.

Florence and her three employees were unable to provide their medical health certificates, which allowed them to sell food to the public.

According to the Prosecutor, a notice of abetment was served on her and the two others after a short health education, ordering her to stop dumping refuse in the drain, provide dust bins to store their waste and obtain the medical certificate for herself and her employees within seven days.

The prosecution also stated that a re-inspection was performed on October 10, 2022, and that while the other two people did comply with the notification, she continued to burn trash in the open.

She was subsequently charged with the offence.