The Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has organised a training for Eastern Region producers of sachet and bottled water to help them understand emerging concepts and techniques in producing clean and safe water for public consumption.
The training was aimed at improving the quality of the water produced by these producers and ensuring that they adhere to the necessary regulations and standards set by the FDA to protect public health.
The Eastern Regional FDA also plans to conduct regular inspections of these water production facilities to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Addressing about 41 participants in Nkawkaw, Kwahu West Municipality, Ms Anita Owusu Kufuor, Head of FDA in Eastern Regional, explained that the training was designed to educate water producers and assist them in better understanding the processes of safe water production and the need to adhere to safety standards for the public good.
Participants were from Kwahu South, West, and East municipalities, as well as the North and South districts of Afram Plains.
Mrs Kufuor highlighted the importance of providing constant education to water producers to appreciate and adopt new concepts and techniques in production of clean and safe water for public consumption
“We must consistently provide training to producers because we don’t want consumers to experience problems after buying water from the market or anywhere else in the nation,” she said. “This training will ensure that they [consumers] can safely drink the water.”
She also noted that the regular training had helped raise the compliance rate for safety standards in the Eastern Region and that the water producing industry has become saner.
Ghana’s FDA is the national regulatory body in charge of overseeing the production of clinical trial protocols as well as the regulation of food, drugs, food supplements, herbal and homeopathic medicines, veterinary medications, cosmetics, medical devices, common household chemicals, tobacco and tobacco products, blood and blood products, and cosmetics.
Mr George Ampofo Ayeh, Eastern Regional FDA Public Relations Officer, said the Authority was implementing an appropriate seal registration platform to direct customers and buyers to check the status of products’ registration.
He said efforts were being made to launch the platform in close cooperation with partners as part of the Africa continental free trade area and exhorted everyone to register on the platform.
He explained that the platform would let registrants know if a specific product was approved by the FDA by displaying the FDA number or batch number.
Mr Peter Kwasi Asiamah, Chairman of Kwahu and Akyem Sachet Water Producers Association, raised concerns about the high cost of production, particularly materials, which was impacting negatively on the business.
He appealed to the government to lower the cost of production materials, as water is essential for life.
He commended the organisers of the training and said it was very enlightening, stating that, “Water producers will be equipped with knowledge and skills in the water production industry if such training takes place five times throughout the year in the entire country.”
Mr Yaw Manu of the Rivers Clean Water Company implored the government to waive various taxes on sachet water.