FDA Destroys Over 29,000 Unwholesome Products in Central Region

The Central Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has safely disposed of 29,435 unwholesome products as part of efforts to protect public health and ensure only safe goods remain on the market.

The items—seized during regulatory exercises in the second and third quarters of this year—comprised expired and unsafe drugs, food, cosmetics, and household chemicals.

The disposal exercise, conducted at the Nkanfoa dumping site in Cape Coast, involved crushing, burying, and in some cases burning the products with the use of an excavator.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, the Central Regional Head of the FDA, Francisca Abena Asubonteng Anokye, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to safeguarding consumers.

“The FDA will not relent in its mandate to regulate products on the market. Producers and sellers must desist from offering unwholesome items for sale, as offenders will face the full rigours of the law,” she stressed.

Citing Section 132, subsections two and three of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), Ms. Anokye explained that the FDA is empowered to supervise the safe disposal of unwholesome products to prevent health risks to the public.

She also urged consumers to be vigilant when purchasing goods, advising them to check expiry dates, “best before” dates, and packaging integrity. In particular, she warned against buying bloated or dented canned foods, noting that such items are unsafe for consumption.