The Mayor of Accra, Madam Elizabeth Naa Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey, has paid a working visit to some parts of the Metropolis to engage food vendors on food safety.
The visit is part of the AMA’s ongoing efforts to enforce the Assembly’s 2017 food safety and hygiene bylaws and step-up monitoring of the operations of food vendors in the city.
In an interaction with food vendors, the Mayor said thousands of people die every year out of unsafe food consumption and that food safety was a shared responsibility between stakeholders, including food sellers.
She said because safe food is expensive, vendors are required by the Assembly’s 2017 Food Safety and Hygiene bye-laws, to handle food carefully to prevent contamination from biological, chemical, and physical contaminants, flies and dirt, among others, adding that “anyone who sells food shall ensure that the preparation and the venturing area is not situated close to an open drain or sanitary site and is clean at all times.”
Madam Sackey informed the food vendors that they were required to wear safety gear, make sure that the food was prepared with wholesome ingredients and potable water,
“Be mindful of expiry dates, use fresh and safe raw materials and maintain a clean working environment in addition to paying close attention to expiry dates.”
She urged the food vendors to obtain the Food Handler’s Certification and caution them against exposing food products to direct sun rays to preserve their quality.
“Exposing food items to the direct rays from the sun can damage the food in a number of ways, from accelerating spoilage to causing chemical changes and these could affect the taste, texture, and nutrition of the food, making it unsafe for consumption,” she added.
The Mayor further urged all lodging establishments, including hotels, motels, taverns, inns, and dining establishments, to first get a suitability health certificate from the Assembly before operation.
Dzifa Hukporti, ISD
