Accra, July 19, GNA - Four members of staff of the Food and Drugs Boar= d (FDB) were on Tuesday verbally assaulted for embarking on an official post market activity at the premises of Yafo Yafo at Ashalley Botwe near Madina. The staff, from the Drug Inspectorate Department of the Board, went to the premises of Yafo Yafo as part of their surveillance activities to check on the products.

The officers had to embark on the exercise to check the registration status of the products as records reveal that all the five products registered by Yafo Yafo had expired since October 1, 2009. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr James Lartey, Public Affairs Manager of FDB, said the case had been reported to the Police CID Headquarters.

He said the FDB officers were ordered by the Director of the company t= o leave the premises, which they obliged. Whilst leaving, the director started assaulting them verbally, which resulted in exchange of words. Mr Lartey recounted a similar incident that occurred in Sunyani where FDB officers from Sunyani were manhandled whilst they were inspecting a local herbal distribution centre.

They were locked up in a room and the owner went away with the keys. The officers had to call the head of their office who called in the police to break into the premises to get the officers out. Mr Lartey urged the public to treat FDB officials with respect when they came for surveillance, adding, 93What we are doing is in the public interest because we cherish the health of the people and we have to do all we can to protect that."

The FDB advised the public against the patronage of Yafo Tonic, Yafo Fever Mixture, Yafo Pioneer Capsules and Yafo Manpower Capsules since their safety could not be guaranteed. "Anybody who patronizes these Yafo Yafo herbal medicines does so at his or her own risk," he added.