Amanfulkuma (W/R), July 18, GNA - The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has cautioned that, it was an offence for anyone to dump expired products anywhere in the country without the involvement of the FDB and security services.

This was contained in a released signed by Mr George Pentsil, Western and Central Regional Zonal Officer of the FDB.

He said the FDB was ready and willing to assist any shop owner, importer or warehouse that wish to dispose of expired products. Mr Pentsil said on Monday at about 1600 hours, they were tipped off that unidentified persons had dumped several quantities of expired goods at Amanfulkuma, near Apowa in Takoradi.

They included toffees, biscuits, cowbell, baked beans and ketchup among others.

He said within the next forty minutes, when personnel of the FDB got to the scene, the expired products had been looted and hidden by adults and children with only a handful left behind. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday, he said a search party had been mobilised in the town with the intention of retrieving the products.

He said the FDB would also hold series of meetings with its stakeholders and find appropriate means of safeguarding the health of residents. Mr Pentsil stressed that the FDB would not compromise on standards and asked the public to support it in its efforts. Mr Pentsil said the consumption of the products could affect the health of the victims and asked them to surrender the products or report any persons seen peddling some of them in the area. He said the health of the residents of the community was of great importance and all efforts would be made to safeguard them.