Ghanaians urged to avoid expired goods

The Environmental Health Department in the Bawku Municipal on Wednesday called on the people in the area to avoid the consumption of expired goods since it could be harmful to their health.

Mr Fidelix Danyi, Deputy Environmental Officer for the Bawku Municipal, made the call in an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Bawku, after he led a team of personnel from the Environmental Health Department to inspect and seize some unwholesome goods at Missiga, a suburb of Bawku.

Mr Danyi said goods, especially packaged foods and medicine, become toxic when they expire because the chemicals used in preparing them become poisonous and could affect the liver and kidneys.

He said the purpose for the exercise was to drastically reduce the sale of expired goods on the markets. It is also an offence and goes contrary to the environmental laws of the country.

He said statistics from the World Health Organization indicates that most people, who suffer from cirrhosis of the liver, get that condition as a result of the intake of toxic food and medicines, and that, there was the need for all to be cautious of what they eat or drink.

Mr Danyi disclosed that ten boxes of unwholesome assorted drinks, biscuits, soap, tins of tomatoes, milk and margarine were seized and destroyed to deter others from selling expired items.

He said the operation would soon be extended to other areas to ensure that expired goods were taken out of the markets in the Bawku area.

He entreated stakeholders and developmental partners to join the crusade in fighting the menace, saying that, good health was paramount and called on people to always check for the expiry dates of items they buy.