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The Upper East Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has imposed a fine of GH¢25,000 on a pregnant woman for promoting unregistered products on TikTok.
The woman, identified as Madam Perpetual Akurugu, reportedly used the social media platform to market unapproved aphrodisiacs and body enhancement products stored in kitchen cabinets at her residence in Yorogo, a suburb of the Bolgatanga Municipality.
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According to the FDA, the authority does not only monitor physical marketplaces and shops but also keeps a close watch on traditional and digital media for illegal advertisements of unregistered or unsafe products.
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Mr Abel Ndego, Acting Regional Head of the FDA in the Upper East Region, disclosed to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that he personally came across the offending video during one of his late-night monitoring routines.
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At about 2:00 a.m., while browsing through social media, I came across a video of a lady advertising some products. What drew my attention was that she was speaking Gurune, a local language. When I visited her page, I realised she had been consistently advertising unregistered and potentially harmful products
Mr Ndego said he immediately downloaded the videos, shared them with the Authority’s regulatory platform, and instructed officers to act swiftly.
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A team from the FDA later traced Madam Akurugu to her residence, where they discovered the products neatly arranged in her kitchen cupboards.
Mr Ndego confirmed,
We retrieved all the products and got her arrested, although she is pregnant, the law will still take its course to ensure she does not repeat the offence
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He stressed that social media had become a growing channel for spreading misinformation about regulated products.
He said,
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We’ve noticed that many unregistered items, especially aphrodisiacs and enhancement products, are being promoted through Facebook and TikTok. As regulators, we are required to monitor these platforms to ensure all information and products comply with the law
Mr Ndego cited the Public Health Act 851 of 2012, reiterating that the FDA’s core mandate is to protect public health and safety. “We are mandated to ensure that all products meet the required regulatory standards,” he said.
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He assured that the Authority would continue to strengthen its surveillance efforts to keep the Upper East Region one of the most compliant in Ghana. “We are leaving no stone unturned,” he emphasised.
In a separate exercise, FDA officers led by Regulatory Officer I, Mr Jiah Jiato Juah, conducted an inspection of shops within the Bolgatanga Municipality. The team raided “Malbas Body Essentials and Cosmetics,” a newly opened store in Soe, where they found unregistered aphrodisiacs and enhancement products displayed for sale.
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Despite the shop owner’s pleas of ignorance, all unregistered products were confiscated.
“It’s clear these items are unregistered,” Mr Juah told the GNA. 3
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He added that such enforcement actions would continue without prior notice to deter offenders. “We will keep conducting surprise inspections to rid the market of unapproved products,” he cautioned.