Accra, Feb. 10, GNA- Mr Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko, Executive secretary of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) on Tuesday directed all importers to ensure that goods imported on arrival at the port of entry, should have at least a year of their shelf-life intact.

The directive, which takes effect from April 1, is to prevent the importation of almost expired products onto Ghanaian market. Mr Agyarko who gave the directive at a day's meeting with importers of food on the regulatory guidelines in Accra, said "any consignment found not to be in compliance will be brought into compliance at a cost to the importer".

He said the directive was also to enable importers of food to be within the food standards and the codex stands set by the Ghana Standards Board (GSB).

Mr Agyarko said enforcement of the directive in consultation with the relevant government ministries and agencies would prevent dumping of shoddy goods on an unprotected market.

The directive he said, would also make monitoring easier, effect risk management through recall of unwholesome products, and promote information dissemination on risk upon taking of unwholesome products by pregnant women, children and the aged.

He said goods that did not meet the set standards would either be re-exported to the country of origin or destroyed at the expense of the importer.

The directive also required prospective importers to commence registration process with samples of their products at least eight weeks before shipment was made for the products to have a registration number before they arrive at the port of entry.

Mr Agyarko noted that only salt with potassium iodate at levels between 25-50ppm would be allowed whilst vegetable oils, carrying the inscription "no cholesterol" and "Cholesterol free" tags would also not be allowed in the country.

He explained that vegetable oil did not naturally contain cholesterol therefore it is erroneous to describe the product as cholesterol free

"Poultry and meat products must also conform to the stipulated fat level", he added.

Mr Larry Yankey, Acting Deputy Executive Director of the GSB said the Board was collaborating with the FDB to promote the safety of consumers by ensuring that goods imported into the country were of quality and meet the standards set.

He urged importers to ensure that they abide by the standards, based on the international standards set by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The importers called for a network to enable them to have regular interactions with officials to solve some of the problems facing them in their operations.