FDB to recommend hotels for renewal of licenses

Cape Coast, April 26, GNA- The Food and Drugs Board (FDB), will as from next year recommend hotels and restaurants to the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), before their operating licenses are renewed. This is due to the numerous complaints received by the FDB from consumers and its subsequent findings that catering facilities of many hotels and restaurants serve customers with contaminated food. Mr Richard Odum Nyumuah, a Regulatory Officer of the FDB, disclosed this to the GNA at Cape Coast, when he was opening a two-day workshop for operators of the hospitality industry in the Cape Coast municipality.

He said the FDB had planned a series of workshop to sensitise those in the industry about the need to provide safe food for customers. Mr. Nyumuah said they would also be introduced to internationally accepted food safety management, as part of preparations towards the CAN 2008 football tournament scheduled to take place in the country next year.

He said the FDB would collaborate with the GTB to close down all hospitality facilities that would fail to conform to rules and regulations regarding food preparation and handling to safeguard public health.

Mr. Nyumuah said the FDB would therefore, continue to inspect kitchens, storerooms and refrigerators of restaurants and hotels to make sure that the fall within the accepted standards. Participants were treated to topics including Basic Knowledge in Food Contamination, Good Catering Practices and Internationally Accepted Food Safety Management System.