General News of Thursday, 17 November 2005

Source: GNA

FDB seizes sub-standard goods

Ho, Nov. 17, GNA - The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has seized foods, drugs and other related products under its supervision found to be sub-standard or not properly labelled from dealers in the Ho municipality.

The exercise is to clear the market of fake and expired products prior to the Christmas festivities.

The seized items included fruit juices, canned drinks, biscuits, shampoos, pampers, sanitary pads, body creams, cooking oils and some types of Coca-Cola drinks.

Mrs. Nora Narkie Terlabie, Eastern and Volta Region Zonal Officer of the FDB told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that products with no information to guide consumers and those not registered with the FDB would be cleared off the shelves in the exercise. She said products, which did not meet standards set by FDB and those labelled only in foreign languages were also being impounded to enable the Board trace the importers for the necessary actions to be taken.

Mrs. Terlabie said the exercise would continue to prevent traders from cashing in on the Christmas season to sell expired, unwholesome and unregistered products to the public. She conceded that some of the retailers were ignorant about product registration and labelling laws of the country and also had little idea about expiry dates.

Mrs. Terlabie promised that the Board would consider educating retailers and the public on the issues on local radio stations and asked traders and consumers to seek clarifications from the FDB if in doubt. Nov. 17, 05