FDB destroys 600 cartons of fake tooth pastes

Techiman (B/A), Dec. 17, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Board, has destroyed more than 600 varieties of cartons of tooth pastes in the first quarter of the year. Mr Enoch Cobina, Regulatory Officer of the board, who announced this at the weekend at Techiman, said the tooth pastes were faked and contaminated but people managed to smuggle them into the country. Mr Cobina was speaking at a sensitization forum for customers of Unilever Ghana Limited at the Techiman Central Market under the theme: "Safety Health needs of the People" over the weekend. He said the FDB is the only body that issues licenses for the production of any product for human consumption. Mr Cobina said counterfeit and or fake products are posing serious threats to local industries.

Some of these products, he indicated, had caused untimely deaths to many children and noted that more than 190 children died in 1990 in Nigeria due to the use of unwholesome and expired products. Mr Cobina appealed to the general public to check and report any expired products found in the market, especially drugs, to the board for the necessary action to be taken. Mrs Afua Oduro Asante, Legal Adviser of Unilever urged customers to reject unregistered products and expose those sellers adding, "It is criminal for customers to use empty "frytol" bottles to sell any other product in the name of the company".

She disclosed that the company had deployed personnel to confiscate imitated Unilever products in the market.

Mr Poland Detew Bour, Operational Manager of Eye Awurade Ampaco Limited, a subsidiary of Unilever in Techiman, underscored the health needs of the individuals and urged traders to always be guided by that. Mr Michael Ofori-Kumi, Territorial Manager of Unilever for Brong-Ahafo and the three northern regions, announced that the company had reduced its products to make them affordable for the general public, adding that, the company is now providing weekly credit sales to customers.