‘Operating restaurant without Food Hygiene Permit unlawful’

Dr Edward Archer addressing the participants

The Chief Regulatory Officer at FDA,Dr Edward Archer hasurged food establishments across the country to regularise their activities with the authority.

He said securing a Food Hygiene Permit will help keep the industry in check when it comes to compliance and emphasised the need to put the safety of food consumers at the heart of the culinary service industry.

He said this in Accra last week at a workshop organised by Bolt Food in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority for some selected Food Service Establishments (FSEs).

The workshop was aimed at educat­ing FSEs, using the bolt food plat­form on the FDA’s activity in ensur­ing food safety and also interact with them to know their challenges while helping to address them.

“Anybody who is operating a restau­rant or a food business without being issued a food hygiene permit is operat­ing unlawfully, he said

Dr Archer called on food vendors, hotels, restaurants and chop bar operators to secure the necessary documentations before rendering such services to the public, adding that the FDA was ready to collaborate and promote the safety of FSEs in the country.

Speaking to the media in an inter­view, the Regulatory and Policy Head for Africa, Weyinmi Aghadiuno said the collaboration between Bolt Food and the FDA was in the three parts.

The parts,she said were partner­ships, workshops and safe food han­dling training for couriers, adding that Bolt had identified 20 FSEs that have their business registration permit but do not have FDA permits.

“These top 20 FSEs, bolt will work with FDA to sponsor their license acquisition and the technical support they require. This is our way of giving back to the society,”she added.

Ms Aghadiuno said Bolt will from hence forth ensure that FSEs on their platform have their FDA licens­es so as to put hygiene and safety first.

“We want to have that collaborative relationship with FDA and our FSEs; we want to build an ecosystem where we can proudly say that when you are ordering on bolt, you are assured that the FSEs on our platform have the FDA food licensing, safety and hygiene certificate,” Ms Aghadiuno added.

She also stated that Bolt was in discussion with FDA to agree on a time frame so as to ensure that FSEs on their platform get their certificates and food license.

 By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu