Cape Coast, April 26, GNA-The Foods and Drugs Board (FDB), will from next year have to recommend hotels and restaurants to the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), before their operating licenses are renewed. This has become necessary in view of the numerous complaints received by the Board from consumers and as well as its subsequent findings that many of such catering facilities were providing contaminated food.

Mr Richard Odum Nyumuah, a regulatory officer with the FDB who disclosed this to the GNA at Cape Coast on Thursday, said the 2002 World Health Organisation (WHO) report indicated that Ghana had 200 million reported cases of food poisoning during that year, an "indication that one person could have suffered this more than 10 times". The regulatory officer made the disclosure after he had opened a two-day workshop for operators in the hospitality industry in the municipality, to kick-start a series of workshops planned by the Board to enhance their awareness about the need to provide safe food for public consumption.

They are also to introduce them to the internationally accepted food safety management systems, and are part of preparations towards the CAN 2008 tournament scheduled to take place in the country next year. Mr Nyumuah, pointed out that food poisoning could kill, and that tourists fed contaminated food would also carry a bad image of the country abroad, and hinder the growth of the tourism industry. He said the Board would therefore work in close collaboration with the GTB to ensure the closure of hospitality facilities that do not conform to its rules and regulations for food preparations and handling to safeguard public health.

The Board would therefore be vigilant and continue with the inspection of such premises, particularly the kitchens, storerooms and refrigerators to find out how food is handled and stored, as well as close down facilities which are found in unsuitable locations. He urged the participants to take the workshop seriously and change "dangerous practices" at their workplaces to enable them to be in business.

Topical issues being dealt with include "basic knowledge in food contamination, good catering practices and the principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)", an internationally accepted food safety management system. 27 April 07