Unregistered products won’t be allowed in Ghana from Febuary 1 - FDA warns

The authority explained that over 20% of products come into the country without registration, hence, the move.

All importers have been informed about the new move to help sanitize products that come into the country.

"Some importers bring in good products to show and test but later connive with manufacturers to alter the standards, an example is that 80 % of tomatoes imported to Ghana is not what the importer says it is hence the FDA market surveillance to clamp down on such importers,” Emmanuel Yaw Kwarteng, Head of Division, Import and Export of the FDA, said at a stakeholder meeting.

He indicated that registration afforded the Authority the opportunity to evaluate the products and further ensured that they were safe, of good quality and efficacious before they were given market authorization or allowed unto the market.

In keeping track of such products and to facilitate traceability, Mr. Kwarteng intimated that the Authority had decided to keep a database of all FDA regulated personal effects that were brought into the country and importers were expected to submit a comprehensive list of personal effects with accompanying batch codes and date marks.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is the National Regulatory Authority mandated by the public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) to regulate food, drugs, food supplements, herbal and homeopathic medicines, veterinary medicines, cosmetics, medical devices, household chemical substances, tobacco and tobacco products.

The FDA is enjoined by law to provide and enforce standards for the sale of food, herbal medicinal products, cosmetics, drugs, medical devices and household chemical substances.