Kpetoe (V/R), March 9, GNA - Ghana's salt iodization performance now stands at 74 percent well behind its scheduled target of 90 percent by 2005.

The shortfall is due to a slow down in the country's drive to achieve Universal Salt Iodization (USI) and negative public attitude to the programme that started in 1995.

Mr John Odame-Darkwah, Head Industrial Support Services of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), said this at a Trainer of Trainers' Workshop for instructors and trainees of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) Academy at Kpetoe on Friday.

Mr Odame-Darkwah said there was therefore an urgent need for the country to marshal resources at all levels towards achieving USI within a short time.

He said the socio-economic returns on USI far outweigh the costs involved in achieving that target, hence the need for the country to strive harder in order to secure the benefits it stood to gain by changing the current approaches in implementing the programme. For example, he said, every 100 dollars spent towards salt iodization brings in 1,300 dollars.

In addition the country would avoid the losses arising from massive child deaths, low intelligent quotient (IQ), low economic productivity and reap the full benefits of investment in education, industry and agriculture.

Mr Odame-Darkwah said the FDB was therefore extending it areas of partnership in order to widen the network towards enforcing compliance with the programme.

He appealed to the CEPS personnel to be thorough in checking the transit of salt in and out of the country to ensure compliance with the appropriate regulatory measures.