Health Minister 'swerves' question on Adonko Bitters in Parliament

Europa

November 9, 2017 2:23 PM

The Food and Drugs Authority in April this year fined Angel Group of Companies, producers of Adonko Bitters GHC25,000 among other sanctions for contravening its code on sale and advertisement of alcoholic beverages.

The Member of Parliament for Wa, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, is not happy with the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, for consistently refusing to answer a question regarding sanctions given to manufacturers of Adonko Bitters after they breached the law.

The decision was taken following preliminary investigations into circumstances that led to dozens of youth and minors passing out at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi after an Easter Monday concert organized by the company.

Several of the revellers, who were in their teens were enticed to the show with a free gate but on condition that each of them bought a bottle of Adonko Bitters liquor at GH¢10.

The FDA placed a temporary ban on the alcoholic beverage but that has since been lifted after the manufacturer met the conditions proposed by the Authority.

Mr. Yieleh Chireh, who is the Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, filed a question asking the Health Minister how the FDA sanctioned the manufacturer for breaching the Public Health Act of 2012, Act 851.

But that was not answered. On Wednesday, November 8, the Health Minister was in parliament to answer general questions related to his sector.

But he failed once more to answer the question on Adonko Bitters.

Mr Agyemang Manu had told the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joe Osei-Owusu that he was waiting for answers from the FDA, which had delayed.

But Mr Yieleh Chireh who was not enthused with the explanation asked the minister to take parliament serious.

“Mr Speaker, I asked this question long ago and the minister has decided that he won’t answer it,” he said, indicating that he was expecting the minister to get the answer from the FDA long ago so he could brief the House.

“I mentioned an institution and I expect that the minister will request the institution to provide the answer. I don’t expect him to have the answer in his head. He should come here guided by the people who he is supervising,” he said.

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