Sunyani office of FDB disposes off products worth GH?10,749.30

The Sunyani Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) in Brong-Ahafo Region on Thursday disposed off seized expired, unwholesome and unregistered products valued at GH?10,749.30 at the Municipal Assembly landfill site in Sunyani.

The products included alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, sexual enhancement drugs and chemicals, confectioneries, household chemicals, herbal medicines, food supplements, cosmetics and food items.

Briefing the media before the exercise, Mr. Matthew Gyang Nkum, Brong-Ahafo Regional Officer of FDB said the items were seized from wholesalers and retailers in Sunyani and Kintampo municipalities, Jaman North and South Districts of the region.

He explained the FDB Sunyani office conducted Post Market Surveillance (PMS) in the second quarter of 2012 during which 53 shops in the two Municipalities and Districts were inspected.

"During the exercise, pharmacies as well as chemical seller shops, herbal, cosmetics and provision shops are inspected to ascertain the wholesomeness, safety and quality of products offered for sale to consumers”, Mr. Nkum said.

The Regional Officer explained: “The wholesomeness of a product is determined by assessing its label, expiry date, nature, packaging integrity, as well as registration status”.

Mr. Nkum advised consumers and the general public to be wary and critical to find out the wholesomeness of any consumable item in the market before making a purchase because of the health risk some of them posed to consumers.

He said unwholesome products, mainly expired, unregistered, wrongly labeled, bloated and rusted, were seized and conveyed to the regional office of the FDB to ensure they were disposed off safely.

The exercise was conducted with the assistance of personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, Environmental Protection Agency and the media.**