Accra, May 23, GNA - Dr. Simpson Anim Boateng, Director of Metropolitan Public Health of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has warned uncertified food vendors who sell during the night near toilets, gutters and other filthy places in the metropolis to desist from that practice or face arrest and prosecution.

In a speech read for him by Mr. William Lomo Tettey, Assistant Chief Environmental Health Officer of the AMA at a food screening exercise in Accra organized by the Ghana Traditional Caterers Association (GTCA) on Wednesday, advised the public not to patronize the services of persons operating under such condition and ordered the arrest of such vendors selling without a health certificate.

Dr. Boateng said if people would appreciate that a healthy environment had a bearing on their health status, it would make positive impact on environmental management. He asked the public to understand that the government alone could not address the enormous environmental problems in the present circumstances of the population explosion. He said the exercise, which was being undertaken by the AMA and GTCA was

in the interest of food handlers and the public and urged those who had already gone through the screening to come for their certificates to avoid arrest and prosecution. Nana Apraku Tuffuor I, Greater Accra Regional President of the GTCA, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said it had become obvious that a little education for most of the traditional caterers would encourage them to keep their places clean and reduce the level of bacteria contamination in prepared food. He expressed the hope that the food vendors would take the education programme seriously to avoid arrest and prosecution. 23 May 08