First Vice President of Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Paul Kobina Mensah, has advised the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to digitize its registration procedures.

According to him, the process where importers have to visit FDA offices to acquire a form, fill it and send it back creates inconveniences for importers.

He stressed that digitalization of the process will relieve both importers and the FDA from the stress of going through such a cumbersome procedure.

Speaking at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) media forum, Mr Mensah said, “I think the procedure should be electronic to make it more convenient.”

“They should have a fast system of registration within a day or two because the importer is also going to buy from the market,” he stated.

Sections 99 and 118 of the Public Health Act 2012 (Act 851) prohibit the importation of unregistered products into Ghana.

The FDA commenced the strict enforcement of the ‘No Registration, No Importation’ policy on February 1, 2021, to prevent the clearance of unregistered imports from the country’s ports.

Speaking in the same vein, the Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Food and Drugs Authority said the policy was to ensure that regulated products, which included food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and household chemical substances, met the criteria of safety, quality, and efficacy before importation into the country.

He cautioned that his outfit would dispose of unregistered products imported into the country if importers failed to follow the procedure.

ESA/NOQ

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