FDA partners police to arrest unlicensed herbal practitioner

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Ashanti Region has led the police to arrest an unlicensed herbal practitioner at Susanso, a suburb of Kumasi for selling unregistered herbal products.

Alfred Ampomah was picked up during an operation within the Kumasi Metropolis to clamp down on activities of unscrupulous persons engaged in the sale of unwholesome products by a joint taskforce made up of officials of the FDA and the police.

Dr Joe Adu-Manuh, a Regulatory Officer of the FDA and Daniel Geraldo, the Regional Public Relations Officer led the operation with the support of the police.

The task force picked information that Ampomah had been preparing and selling herbal products at Trade in the Atwima Kwanwoma District and lured him to Susuanso where he was arrested.

Some quantities of the products including, “Power Plant,” Power Borgar,” and “Koko Powder,” were retrieved from the suspect and taken to the Regional Police Command for interrogation.

He admitted the offence and was subsequently arraigned before the Kumasi Circuit Court Two where he pleaded guilty to one count of preparing and offering for sale herbal products without registration.

The Court presided over by Mrs Priscilla Dapaah admitted him to bail in the sum of GHC50.000.00 with two sureties after pleading not guilty to the charge.

The case was adjourned to August 11, for hearing.

Police Chief Inspector Timothy Amoako, prosecuting told the Court that upon the arrest of the suspect he disclosed that he had large quantities of the products at Trede but failed to lead the police to retrieve them.

Mr John Laryea Odai-Tettey, Ashanti Regional Head of the FDA told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the FDA would continue to go after people whose activities posed serious threat to the health and safety of the general public.

“Products that are not registered with the Authority and for that matter do not have the marketing authorisation are not supposed to be in trade,” he emphasised.

He said medicinal products could be dangerous to humans if they were not properly certified for human consumption and urged the public to be mindful of any medicinal product they patronised.

“The FDA is ready to assist all people willing to be in proper trade once you are producing for commercial purposes. Our hands are widely opened and you can walk into any of the FDA offices to receive assistance for the registration of your products,” he urged.