The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned the public against buying food prepared and sold near open gutters, warning that the practice poses a serious risk to public health.
Speaking in a radio interview on Citi FM on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the FDA in charge of the Food Division, Mr Roderick Daddey-Adjei, said the continued preparation and sale of food in unhygienic environments remains a major setback to national food safety efforts.
“Food should not be sold by a gutter, and we will not defend that,” he stated, stressing that the issue has become deeply rooted in everyday practices.
Mr Daddey-Adjei described the situation as a long-standing cultural challenge that requires not only stricter enforcement but also a deliberate change in consumer behaviour. According to him, consumers play a critical role in safeguarding their own health by refusing to patronise food vendors who operate under unsafe conditions.
“You need to educate the consumer so they can make informed choices. Without them, this will not work. The numbers are worrying, and enforcement on its own will not solve the problem,” he explained.
He noted that the FDA is intensifying public education campaigns in markets and communities nationwide to help consumers identify unhygienic food practices and make safer choices.
“The FDA goes from market to market. We meet vendors, we engage market queens, and we teach the basics of food hygiene and handwashing. This work continues, but consumers also need to take responsibility,” he added.
Mr Daddey-Adjei acknowledged that enforcement remains a major challenge, particularly due to the high number of informal food vendors operating across the country. He explained that while local assemblies are mandated to oversee basic sanitation and hygiene standards, monitoring remains inconsistent.
“The task is huge. Staffing is a challenge. Local assemblies are expected to monitor basic sanitation and hygiene, but our checks show that sometimes it is done and sometimes it is not,” he said.
He further explained that under the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), all food vendors, including itinerant sellers, are required to obtain permits and comply with minimum hygiene standards before operating. However, he admitted that compliance levels remain low and enforcement capacity is limited.
Mr Daddey-Adjei warned that poor food hygiene has serious public health implications, citing last year’s cholera outbreak which spread from the Western Region to Central and Greater Accra as a clear example.
“When people understand the need to comply, they will do what is expected. Food safety affects everyone because when people fall sick, the impact is felt by all,” he said.
He urged the public to protect themselves by making conscious choices and refusing to buy food sold in unhygienic locations.
“If people stop buying food sold next to gutters and other unsafe places, vendors will be forced to change how they operate. That is one of the strongest tools available to us,” he added.
