The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a chilling warning: the very mills where Ghanaians grind their daily meals have become a ticking health time bomb.
After a series of undercover investigations, the Western Regional Directorate of the FDA has uncovered widespread, dangerous practices at food milling centers; from filthy equipment and rodent-friendly facilities to the outright adulteration of food.
Corn, vegetables, and especially fufu; a cherished staple, are at high risk of contamination.
“We are sitting on a public health catastrophe,” the FDA revealed during an emergency sensitization workshop for mill operators in the Shama District.
But the filth is only half the story. The FDA has also exposed a sinister trade: food fraud.
“Some individuals deliberately add non-food substances, coloring agents, and other dangerous materials to boost volume or improve appearance, purely for profit,” Western Regional Director of the FDA, John Laryea Odai-Tettey disclosed.
“Many of these additives are not food-grade. They are silent killers.”
Personal hygiene, the FDA noted, is virtually nonexistent in many facilities.
“Operators lack basic knowledge of the cleanliness of their premises, their bodies, or their machines,” he added.
The Authority is now urging mill operators to become whistleblowers.
“We have cautioned operators against such practices and encouraged them to report anyone who brings adulterants to their facilities.”
Beyond education, the FDA promises a crackdown. Working with the Public Health Directorates of local assemblies, the Authority will launch strict enforcement across all districts in the Western Region.
This sensitization exercise is expected to be carried out in all districts of the Western Region. The FDA assures that it will not compromise on its enforcement, as it strengthens its collaborations with the Public Health Directorate of the metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies.
“There will be no compromise. Together with the assemblies we will monitor compliance closely and anyone found violating the law will be dealt with accordingly,” Mr Odai-Tettey emphasized.
By: Portia Cudjoe
