The fine imposed on Shoprite by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for selling imported frozen chicken but labelling it as locally produced chicken and selling to customers is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Thursday.
The Graphic reports that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says it has fined Shoprite for selling imported frozen chicken but labelling it as locally produced chicken and selling to customers.
The FDA on Tuesday closed down the meat section of Shoprite at the Accra Mall.
The closure followed a complaint to the FDA that Shoprite was selling thawed imported frozen chicken as fresh local chicken to customers.
An investigation by the FDA confirmed what was deemed to be fraud on customers by mislabeling the product.
According to the FDA, the practice by Shoprite apart from being a deception also had health implications.
“Apart from it being deception, it also has some health implications, because we all know that you don’t actually thaw a frozen product and then put it back into the freezer for it to freeze,” Akua Amartey, Deputy Chief Executive of the FDA said.
The newspaper says that the Ghana Police Service has said it is on a high alert following reports that suspected bandits are planning to attack communities in northern Ghana, especially those along the border with Burkina Faso.
A police wireless message last Tuesday said: “Reports indicate that Burkina Faso-based bandits are allegedly launching attacks in communities along the Burkina Faso-Ghana border.”
Consequently, the police administration has directed all police commanders in the country to increase patrols to quell the planned attacks..
Portions of the wireless message, sent to all regional police commanders to be on high alert, read: “The Burkina Faso-based bandits are allegedly planning to launch attacks within the Bolgatanga township and its environs, including areas in Tamale, in the coming days..
“The bandits are suspected to be in possession of military-grade weapons and may have already infiltrated Ghana at yet-to-be-identified locations in the northern regions and they are poised to launch attacks any moment from now.”
The message also said that already several attacks had happened in recent months at the border.
In response to the directives from the police administration, the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has increased surveillance in some communities in the region..
The graphic also reports that the Minister of Defence, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, has said the time is ripe for the nation to acquire a new and befitting presidential jet.
This is because the current Falcon 900 EX-Easy aircraft, used by the President, was not fit for the purpose.
Mr Nitiwul said this in response to an urgent question by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the floor of Parliament yesterday on whether the presidential jet was in good condition and considered air-worthy.
He also sought to know if the defence minister considered it prudent the government expending 15,000 euros on chartered flight, and also whether it was prudent for Ghana to acquire new aircraft to aid foreign travels by very important persons including the President.
“The capacity of the current Falcon aircraft is far below that of Fokker 28 which flew very, very important persons of more than 25 passengers during the Acheampong, Akufo, Rawlings and Kufuor eras hence the urgent need for an appropriate aircraft which can carry better payload in terms of passengers of 70 to 100 people and to carry all their baggage without affecting the performance of the aircraft.
“Mr Speaker, it is interesting to note that the Armed Forces of Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Uganda, Kenya, Congo (DR), Morocco, Equatorial Guinea, just to mention but a few, all have a Boeing or Airbus Jet of that capacity to serve as strategic Air lifts,” the minister said.
The Times says that the government has announced the 2021 closed season for all fishing activities on the sea, with a caution to fishmongers to desist from applying washing powder and dye solution (‘blue’) to spoilt fish for sale and subsequent consumption.
To this end, artisan and semi-industrial fleet are to desist from all activities on the sea, from July 1 to 31 July, 2021, whilst that of industrial trawl vessels take effect from July 1 to 31st August.
The initiative, which was not observed due to the strict coronavirus disease (COVID-19) safety management measures last year, is an important management strategy adopted by the government in rebuilding depleted marine fish stock.
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson, who announced this yesterday in Accra, said consultation with all stakeholders in the fishery industry was done before the announcement.
She explained that the closed season was expected to reduce the excessive fishing pressure and rebuild the fish stock.
“The Ministry recognizes the fact that the desired result of implementing closed seasons will be attained when other types of illegal fishing activities, such as transshipment, and the use of poisonous and toxic chemicals, dynamites and other explosives are effectively controlled.
“In the light of these, the Ministry, in collaboration with the law enforcement agencies like the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Marine Police, would intensify the fight against all forms of illegal fishing,” she said.
GIK/APA