The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has clarified that the GH¢100,000 fine imposed on Lamens Investments Africa Limited stemmed from regulatory violations, rather than the quality of the Moshosho Rice imported from India.
In a statement, the FDA revealed that investigations uncovered multiple breaches, including re-bagging the rice without prior approval. The re-bagging operations were conducted in an unlicensed facility and without FDA supervision, compromising compliance with safety standards.
“The FDA imposed an administrative fine of GH¢100,000 on Lamens Investments Africa Limited for the following regulatory breaches: re-bagging the rice without prior FDA approval, conducting re-bagging operations in an unlicensed facility, and failing to ensure FDA supervision during the re-bagging process,” the statement outlined.
The investigation also found that approximately 22,000 bags of 50kg rice, imported from India, were falsely labelled as “Made in Ghana.” These bags lacked critical details such as manufacturing and expiration dates, violating Ghana’s labeling laws.
While laboratory tests by the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and other reputable institutions in India and Ghana confirmed the rice met safety standards, the FDA stressed that the company’s actions posed significant regulatory and public health concerns.
