Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has fined Lamens Investments Africa Limited GH¢100,000 for multiple regulatory violations related to the handling of Moshosho Rice imported from India.

In a statement, the FDA clarified that the fine was not due to concerns about the quality of the rice but rather breaches in its repackaging process.

Investigations revealed that Lamens Investments re-bagged approximately 22,000 bags of 50kg rice without obtaining the required prior approval. The process was carried out in an unlicensed facility and without FDA supervision, both of which contravene Ghana’s regulatory standards.

“These violations include re-bagging without prior FDA approval, using an unlicensed facility, and failing to ensure FDA supervision during the re-bagging process,” the FDA said.

The rice, originally imported from India, was allegedly relabelled as “Made in Ghana.” Additionally, the repackaged bags lacked vital information, such as manufacturing and expiration dates, which violates Ghanaian laws.

The FDA emphasised that tests conducted by reputable institutions, including the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Ghana and laboratories in India, confirmed the rice met safety standards. However, the manner in which the importer handled the product breached public health protocols.

The authority described the violations as serious and warned of its commitment to enforcing standards to protect consumers.

Source:TheDotNews