Environmental officers destroy a truck full of expired assorted drinks ceased at Kintampo market

Through their daily routine surveillance, environmental officers at the Kintampo Municipal Assembly impounded a Cargo truck containing dozens of assorted drinks and other edible items at the Kintampo weekly market.

The items, according to the Officer in charge of the Kintampo North environmental health unit, Mr. Ernest Kwaku Foli, were ceased on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, which is a Kintampo market day.

Drinks and other items labelled Coca-Cola, Run energy drink, orange juice, tomato paste and Cowbell milk powder were among the ceased items which were later destroyed on Monday, December 19, 2022.

The infiltration of fake and expired food items in the Ghanaian market during Christmas, Easter, new year, Sallah and other festive seasons has always been a concern for the public.

The Ghana Food and Drugs Authority, FDA, have always beefed up surveillance on expired goods in shops and cautioned both buyers to be vigilant since some unscrupulous individuals usually take advantage of the festive seasons to gain profits by all means.

On Monday, December 19, 2022, in the backyard of the Kintampo Municipal Assembly where the items were destroyed, Mr. Ernest Kwaku Foli told this reporter that he and his boys, during their surveillance, chanced on the driver and his mates at the Kintampo market offloading the items from the Cargo truck and carrying some around with wheelbarrows.

According to him, after inspecting and realizing that the duration of the items had expired, they interrogated the driver and he told them that the items were brought from Techiman. The driver and followers, however, denied ownership of the products saying that they were running an errand for someone. Mr. Foli said the alleged real owner has been contacted and asked to present himself for further interrogation.

Mr. Foli in the interview admonished Ghanaians to be on the lookout for expired food items, especially, in this season and report any persons they see engaging in the sale of such items for the necessary actions to be taken against them.

He further cautioned marketers who send food items to Kintampo and other communities for sale to ensure their products are safe to prevent any confusion between them and the appropriate government agencies adding that the routine surveillance exercise they have embarked on will continue for a while.