FDA holds festival of nine lessons, carols and awards event

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has organised a festival of nine lessons, carols, and an awards event, with the theme: “Winning Public Confidence”.

The Board Members, staff, and their families were entertained with harmonious Christmas carols and other local songs by the FDA Choir, amidst Bible readings, drawing the audience to their feet to dance, sing along, and praise God for His mercies upon their lives throughout the year, while the staff drama group also performed a play on the birth of Jesus Christ.

Mrs Delese Mimi Darko, the Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, in her Christmas Message, said although 2020, had been a challenging year for the Authority due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, God had been good to them.

According to her, successes were achieved through the diligence and dedication of the staff of the FDA, amazing support from the Ministry of Health, its technical advisory committees and Board, and other awesome Committees, in spite of the odds against Ghana and the world.

“By God’s grace alone we have carried and continue to carry the nation to safety during the pandemic,” adding that the Authority attained Maturity level three and four, which was an envy of all.

The FDA, she said also placed second out of 54 Africa, and 51 out of the over 250 countries globally, which was no mean an achievement.

Mrs Darko further stated that the FDA had also lifted home grown ideas and grown them into industries and by so doing, created jobs and improving the livelihoods of many, giving hope and putting smiles on faces, and cited beneficiaries under such projects as Kayayei (female head porters), the physically challenged and many more.

She said though there had been challenges both within and without, God had been faithful and had guided the leadership, and urged the staff to remain resolute without allowing the COVID-19 pandemic to distract the Authority’s mission to ensure public health and safety.

She stressed that winning public confidence required integrity, accountability, and teamwork, which could not be compromised, and thanked all Partners including the WHO, World Food Programme, the Ghana Enterprises Agency, Ghana Standards Authority as well as security agencies for their effective collaboration.

Mrs Darko also thanked the entire staff for their hard work without considering their unmatched remunerations, but had remained dedicated to their services to the nation, and prayed that 2021 would be better.

She congratulated all the award winners for their meritorious, as well as long years of services with the FDA.

Mr Emmanuel Owusu Adisi, who was adjudged the overall best staff of the year, received a citation, gift humper, and some other goodies.

There were over 20 categories of awards for the staff, who had distinguished themselves in their various departments of services, and these included the Colleague of the year, Regional Head of the year, best support services, Star performance, most improved staff, outstanding leadership, innovation, winning of public confidence, COVID-19 Response Department, and the best client service staff.

Their awards ranged from plagues, citations, gift hampers, and gift vouchers.

The FDA also recognized staff who had served for 20 to 22 years and honoured them with gifts including washing machines, cookers, chest freezers, fridges, televisions and rice cookers.