Who would ever have thought that some eateries spread around the country are operating unlawfully without food hygiene permits normally required before they commence operation? 

That these so-called canteens, chop bars, restaurants, bakeries, and smaller food joints to name but a few, operate without the requisite permits? 

Unfortunately, they are not alone. There have been instances of hotels, guest houses, and manufacturing concerns being closed down by regulators because they were operating without licenses.

Laxity

Ours is a beautiful country by all standards. However, there is too much laxity around to the extent that lucrative businesses are operating outside the remit of established laws and no one is checking or bringing them to book. Even where such laws are meant to regulate their operations and protect citizen’s health and safety, there are no enforcement measures in place so businesses are getting away with murder.

One such laxity is the blatant defilement of the Public Health Act 2012 (ACT 851) which states that “A person shall not manufacture for sale, sell, supply or store products regulated under this Part except in premises registered for that purpose……” Yet, we have eateries, including the mushroomed fast food joints which are operating lucrative businesses without food hygiene permits.

Not long ago when tiny wayside eateries became the fast money-making machine because food always sells, one saw even young men pop on aprons and head covers and jumping into operating fried rice and chicken joints, then popularly known as “Check, Check”  in our communities. 

The number of customers who used to line up to buy their evening meals from there was a cause for alarm. Some of us even publicly expressed worry about the cleanliness and safety of the surroundings and the mode of operation of those wayside fast food joints.

The worry gave one cause to call on the health desks of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to closely monitor the operations of those “Check, Check” joints before any public outbreak of diseases seeing how fast their unsupervised operations were being patronised.

One has seen occasional surprise inspections conducted by some of the Assemblies on wayside food sellers operating in unhealthy environments. In extreme cases, the foods are seized, equipment is taken away and operators are left with warnings to stop operating, citing public health and safety concerns. 

Stern warning

It is very assuring to some of us who have always wished for serious actions against flouters of the public food and safety regulations that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is moving in to ensure food and hygiene practices by food handlers and sellers in the public spaces. 

According to a Daily Graphic publication nearly a fortnight ago, on February 13, 2024, the FDA issued a stern warning to all such food service providers, particularly canteens and units of their like that they risk the closure of their food service units if they operate without valid food hygiene permits from the Authority.

They went further to give those service providers timelines to acquire permits, failure of which “requisite regulatory sanctions which may include closure of facilities, fines and or criminal prosecutions” would be applied.

The warning applies not only to walk-in canteens but also to canteens of schools, hospitals and all corporate institutions. They are required to ensure that their food service facilities are inspected and licensed by the FDA.

One beauty of the move by the FDA is the advice to the public to only use the services of licensed caterers to cater for their corporate events. The move also covers meals for the vulnerable including students and patients.

To this end, institutions have been advised by the FDA to insist that vendors who apply to provide catering services for them must provide valid food hygiene permits.

That is the way to go to protect citizens.  One would highly commend the FDA for formally stepping out so strongly to ensure continued consumer health and safety in the public eatery space.

Many a time one hears about complaints of food poisoning from foods consumed at some public function or a restaurant for which reason some people have vowed never to eat cold foods such as salads or sea foods served at eateries and public functions.

The FDA must mean well in serving such notice. One prays their timelines are met without hesitation.  It is up to us consumers of cooked foods served outside the home to be on the lookout and where possible also challenge to see permits of caterers one engages.

No doubt the country is rich with regulations governing most operations that border on public health and safety. The problem most of the time is the lack of enforcement by regulators. 

The FDA’s stern warning confirms that something good is on its way to protect the space. The laxity one finds in the enforcement of the rules and regulations is going to be a thing of the past. Those bent on cheating the system at the expense of citizens to make money now need to do the needful before the law catches up with them. 

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Thank you, FDA for the eye opener.

****

The writer can be contacted via email at vickywirekoandoh@yahoo.com