Emmanuel Yawlui, the Hohoe Municipal Environmental Health Officer, has advised the public to be cautious of where they buy food and what they eat.
Yawlui, who spoke in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the environment in which cook foods were sold must be very clean and devoid of houseflies hovering over the food, while the vendor must be healthy and fit to provide the service in an acceptable manner.
He said it was unhygienic for food vendors to keep long artificial and painted nails, and leave their hair uncovered, as these could attract pathogens that could contaminate the food being sold to cause harm to consumers.
Briefing GNA further on a screening exercise held for food and drink vendors in the Municipality, Yawlui said the exercise had so far been successful.
He said a total of about 3,000 vendors had so far been screened, which was encouraging, and indicated that the Department would make monthly or quarterly follow-ups to ensure that vendors adhered to health and safety protocols and were physically fit to offer these services.