Business News of Thursday, 7 March 2019

Source: starrfm.com.gh

FDA to ensure registration of locally manufactured goods meet International standards

Chief Executive Officer of FDA inspecting some manufactured products at Koala Shopping Mall Chief Executive Officer of FDA inspecting some manufactured products at Koala Shopping Mall

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is poised to facilitate the registration of locally manufactured products to meet International standards to ensure they are not just consumed locally but exported to other countries as well.

The FDA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Delese Mimi Darko disclosed Monday, March 4, 2019, during the ‘Display Made in Ghana’ launch in partnership with Koala Shopping Mall in Accra.

According to her, the emerging economies, such as Malaysia and Turkey attained their status as a result of deliberately patronizing what they produce and exporting to other markets including Ghana’s.

“The Ghanaian economy is diverse and has rich resources. It is an established fact that the future of the Ghanaian economy, however, hinges on the local manufacturing sector. It is worth noting at this point that, the food industry contributes hugely to the local economy and the efforts of the FDA to bring this industry to international standards cannot be overemphasized.

“The FDA’s mandate derived from the Public Health Act stretches to the sale of all our regulated products. It is for this reason that the FDA is poised to facilitate the registration of locally manufactured products to meet International standards so we will not just consume them locally but export to other countries as well,” she said.

The FDA, she further noted, has strategically partnered the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative by the government to provide technical assistance to ensure that whatever is produced meet the desired standard for local and international consumption.

Touching on the ‘Display Made in Ghana’, she said it is an initiative that will allow for specific sections in Foreign Retail Shops and Supermarkets be put aside for the display of locally manufactured products.

Thanking the management of Koala Shopping Mall for taking the first step in designating specific sections in their shopping malls for locally manufactured products, she urged the management to make that a permanent feature.