The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Volta Region has seized a large consignment of unregistered diapers at the Ho Market as part of efforts to safeguard public health, especially that of children.
The operation, carried out in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, is part of a broader nationwide campaign targeting unregistered and potentially unsafe products in markets across the Volta and Oti Region.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, the Volta Regional Head of the FDA, Gordon Akurugu, said the seized diapers lacked proper registration and labelling, raising serious concerns about their safety and quality. He described the sale of such products as a major public health risk that would not be tolerated.
Mr Akurugu explained that the items, commonly referred to as “fosse diapers,” could not be certified as safe for use and have therefore been detained pending further investigations with the police to trace their origin. He noted that the Volta Region’s proximity to international borders makes it vulnerable to the influx of smuggled goods.
“This is not a one-day exercise,” he said, stressing that enforcement activities would continue to prevent unsafe products from reaching consumers. He added that the diapers could be rejected stock or donated items being resold without any traceable source.
He urged parents and caregivers to purchase only properly registered diapers with clear labels and FDA registration numbers, emphasizing that child safety must remain a national priority.
Referencing the Public Health Act 851, Mr Akurugu stated that all imported products must be registered and regulated by the FDA, warning that traders found dealing in unregistered goods would face the full force of the law.
Meanwhile, some traders affected by the exercise expressed dissatisfaction with the enforcement approach. One trader, Bintu Yakubu, said officials posed as customers before seizing the products, adding that she struggled to distinguish between registered and unregistered diapers. Another trader, Linda Ofosuhene, questioned how illegal products were allowed into the country, while Gloria, also a trader, said the confiscated diapers were popular among customers and the exercise would result in financial losses.
Source: citinews
