It said the container-load was cleared from the port, despite the FDA withholding its clearance.

[contextly_sidebar id=”N5tYMLLEkeSlzg3cO0llcC55WeH6rHFK”]The Head of Public Affairs of the FDA, James Lartey, disclosed that the Authority took the decision to impound the container after it realized that it was owned by a company that had earlier imported another container with unwholesome chicken.

Prior to impounding the container, the clearing agent lied to the FDA that the container had been moved to Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region, when it was at a private warehouse in Accra.

“…there was another container so what our officers did was that, they tried to open that container which belongs to the same company to inspect it, but it had been sealed. The clearing agent promised that on Monday, they will bring a welder to open it, but they realized that the container was on Monday cleared [on the FDA’s blind side].”

“What we did was that, we called the clearing agent, and he told us that the product was in Techiman, so we called our office immediately in Brong Ahafo to start making investigations on the product, only for us to go back to the warehouse to notice that the clearing agent gave us wrong information. The whole product was still in Accra. On Wednesday, we saw 2,800 cartons of the product. That one didn’t have a foul smell and we called the veterinary service who took samples to do analysis, the results I don’t know yet. We have sealed that, and they cannot be touched,” he said.

The Food and Drugs Authority had been accused of releasing the first container which had some rotten chicken products to the importer, but Mr. Lartey said the action was taken among other things to ease the congestion at the port.

He added that, the release of the container with the unwholesome product was immediately followed by an inspection carried out jointly by the FDA, and officers of the veterinary service, and there was no way the importer had direct access to the products even though it was cleared from the port.

“Last week Saturday, they inspected a 40-footer container of frozen chicken. When it was opened, they realized that part of the container was rotten, so they sealed the container and allowed the product to be cleared to the owner’s warehouse, which is Whitestone Cold Store. The FDA together with veterinary service followed up to the premises, and when they got there, the thing was reopened and the spoilt ones were sorted out, so they had 266 cartons of the rotten chicken. This rotten chicken was destroyed on Monday. Samples were picked and destroyed. The ones supposed to be wholesome were taken for lab testing and was affirmed to be okay he explained.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post FDA impounds 2,800 cartons of ‘suspicious’ chicken appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, a member of CEPS communication team, Paa Kow Ekumah, said they also do not think something untoward happened during the clearing of the goods.

“In the case of this chicken, yes, the full work hasn’t been done yet, and we have our officers down there and I’m sure in a matter of a day or two, we will come to the conclusion of it. But nothing really has gone wrong that has to do with Customs having done the wrong thing or even the FDA,” he added.

[contextly_sidebar id=”SxSpc9naPlZt2uGxpQOKugLEsifeuuvl”]Mr. Ekumah also said they are investigating the matter to ascertain the entire truth.

“That issue has come up and we are seriously looking at it – investigations going on from different angles. It’s a little sensitive now and it’s a little early to draw conclusions but what we know is that when it comes to Customs, we will always make sure that we will not find ourselves at the wrong side of the law.”

The Herald newspaper on Monday reported that, thousands of Ghanaians may be in danger as credible information they have from the Tema Ports suggests that, some unwholesome frozen food products, have found their way into the country under bizarre circumstances.

Not all the chicken were rotten – FDA

The Foods and Drugs Board (FDA), one of the bodies involved in supervising such products, also defended its action, saying not all the chicken were rotten at the time they saw it at the Tema Port.

According to the FDA, after  its officer assigned to the consignment realized that not all the chickens were rotten, ordered for the unwholesome ones to be destroyed, but prevented the company [that imported the products] from clearing a second consignment full with frozen chicken.

The Head of Public Affairs at FDA, James Lartey told Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show that, although the second consignment was embargoed, they later realized that it had been cleared.

He explained that their officer was subsequently able to detain 2,800 cartons of the embargoed consignment.

“I don’t know why our officer should be blamed in this instance. In the first place, he has allowed a product to be cleared…he went there, he did sorting, there was a second institution that was among the sorting team, samples were taken, the wholesome ones were kept and the unwholesome ones were destroyed. What has he done wrong? I don’t know how I’m going to blame our officer.”

Mr. Lartey noted that “With the second consignment, he had clearly agreed that the product should not be cleared, and it has been cleared, how do you blame him?”

“He has followed up and found 2,800 cartons of the one that was not supposed to be cleared, and he has detained them, and you blame the officer for what?”

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Rotten chicken: We can’t accept blame – CEPS appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Herald newspaper reported on Monday that, thousands of Ghanaians may be in danger as credible information they have from the Tema Ports suggests that, some unwholesome frozen food products, have found their way into the country under bizarre circumstances.

But according to the FDA, its officer assigned to the consignment realized that not all the chickens were rotten, and thus ordered for the unwholesome ones to be destroyed, but prevented the company from clearing a second consignment full of frozen chicken.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hmthvVEcReSKn53vDMbI4mL1zN9fmbfq”]Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on the matter, the Head of Public Affairs at FDA, James Lartey, said although the second consignment was embargoed, they realized later that, it had been cleared.

He explained that, their officer who was assigned to the consignment, was subsequently able to detain 2,800 cartons of the embargoed consignment.

“I don’t know why our officer should be blamed in this instance. In the first place, he has allowed a product to be cleared…he went there, he did sorting, there was a second institution that was among the sorting team, samples were taken, the wholesome ones were kept and the unwholesome ones were destroyed. What has he done wrong? I don’t know how I’m going to blame our officer.”

Mr. Lartey noted that, “With the second consignment, he had clearly agreed that the product should not be cleared, and it has been cleared, how do you blame him?”

“He has followed up and found 2,800 cartons of the one that was not supposed to be cleared, and he has detained it, and you blame the officer for what?”

Don’t blame us – CEPS

The Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has said it is investigating the matter.

CEPS, however said it cannot be blamed for the issue.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, a member of the CEPS communication team, Paa Kow Ekumah, said although they do not think something untoward had occurred, they won’t leave anything to chance, as a probe is underway into the incident.

“That issue has come up, and we are seriously looking at it – investigations are going on from different angles. It’s a little sensitive now, and it’s a little early to draw conclusions. But what we know is that, when it comes to Customs, we will always make sure that we will not find ourselves on the wrong side of the law.”

“In the case of this chicken, yes, the full work hasn’t been done yet, and we have our officers down there and I’m sure in a matter of a day or two, we will come to a conclusion on it. But nothing really has gone wrong that has to do with Customs having done the wrong thing or even the FDA,” he added.

Rotten products destroyed

This comes on the back of some impounded rotten mackerel that found its way into the country.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) on October 1, 2017, destroyed 4,500 cartons of unwholesome canned fish that were said to be in transit to Togo, but were diverted onto the Ghanaian market.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post We’re not to blame for imported ‘rotten’ chicken saga – FDA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to various opinion leaders, the increased illegal mining activities were responsible for this development.

They believe the course of River Bonsa has been redirected  as a result of “galamsey” work in the municipality.

The District Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Kenneth Mensah, told Citi News that water supply to parts of the municipality has also been cut as a result of the floods.

Mr. Mensah added, that  most places in the municipality were flooded, halting schooling activities in the area.

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Heavy rains displace residents in Bonsa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.