'No registration, no importation' policy meant to protect public safety - FDA

The Food and Drugs Authority(FDA) says the implementation of the “No Registration No Importation” policy at the Ports of Ghana is targeted at protecting public health and safety.

According to the FDA, the policy is to control the importation of unregistered products through the enforcement of relevant standards to protect public health.

Speaking on the Eye on Port live interactive program, the Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs at the FDA, Mr. Joseph Yaw-Bernie Bennie explained that the directive is to ensure that regulated products which include food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and household chemical substances meet the criteria of safety, quality and efficacy before they are imported into the country.

In addition, he said the FDA systems are in operation for importers to get their products registered.

“Products that are on the sea or on their way coming into the country have three weeks within which to initiate registration. The FDA systems are available for them to ensure that within three weeks before the products get into the country they are registered so as not to be affected by the directive,” he said.

Mr. Bennie explained that when unregistered products get into the country, the products are detained until they are registered but unfortunately, the FDA lacks storage facilities.

“When this happens, the products are detained at the importer's warehouse but the importers take advantage of the situation and send the unregistered products into the market without going through the necessary procedures, hence, causing harm to the public,” he averred.

He cautioned that if importers fail to export their unregistered products, the FDA will safely dispose of them at the cost of the importers.

Contributing to the discussion, the 1st Vice President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, Mr. Paul Kobina Mensah urged FDA to have a system that is timeous in registration of products to favor both the FDA and the importers.

“A simple situation on the ground is that FDA cannot register products within a day, a week, or within a month. A month is the fastest period they can use to register the products. If you should keep the goods at the port in order to go through the registration process, demurrage, and rent alone plus the taxes and terminal charges you cannot take the goods out of the port. They should have a fast system of registration within a day or two because the importer is also going to buy from the market,” he asserted.

He expressed concern over the fact that the FDA has not sensitized importers enough on the new policy.

“The sensitization is very important. They need to engage importers more and educate them. When they are aware compliance becomes so easy,” he advised.

Mr. Mensah urged the FDA to make their registration process electronic to save importers time.

“On their procedure, you have to go to their office to get the form, complete the form and send it yourself. I think the procedure should be electronic to make it more convenient,” he said.

He lamented that the FDA charges are quite exorbitant, hence, the need for some reductions.

“FDA charges for registration of products and verification fee is too high”

However, Mr. Bennie said the FDA has in the past reduced their registration fees as a way of motivating importers to register their products and also reducing their cost.