A recent report indicates significant non-compliance with the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) Street Food Vendor Permit directive at Abeka Market.
The FDA introduced the Street Food Vendor Permit to ensure street foods meet basic hygiene and safety standards, thereby enhancing consumer confidence and protecting public health. This permit, costing 5 cedis, is mandatory for all street food vendors nationwide. It includes training, registration, and licensing.
However, at Abeka Market, the majority of food vendors were found to be operating without the required permit, with only a minority claiming to possess it.
Alice Tetteh, a porridge seller, admitted ignorance of the requirement, stating,
“I don’t have one. I am not sure of what you are talking about. I don’t know I need to get one so if you have one to give me, I would be glad”.
“I have been engaging AMA on that. For the FDA permit, I do not have one. But my place is clean. So I don’t think it is a big issue”.
Sahadatu Mohammed, who sells Waakye, acknowledged engaging with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) but admitted not having the FDA permit. She defended her operation’s cleanliness but downplayed the permit’s importance.
Patrons interviewed expressed apathy towards checking vendors’ permits before purchasing food. One remarked,
“I have been eating here for years. I don’t have time to check the permit because I don’t care. The food is good and I know the place is clean so yeah”.
Another also stated, “I believe they have the permit. I have been a regular customer for 27 years”.
The Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Boniface Ashalley, acknowledged the challenges, noting ongoing efforts to educate vendors and enforce health standards.
He emphasized the municipality’s role in ensuring food safety amidst widespread ignorance.
“We have our staff who do one-on-one education. We have been doing screening for them to get the health permit. We are aware of some of these issues but we have been embarking on sensitization to get them informed. We also go round to monitor their place of work if it is clean and safe for people to buy from them” he stated.
Deputy CEO of the FDA, Roderick Daddey-Adjei, refuted claims by some vendors who alleged possession of permits not displayed at their stalls. He clarified that compliance involves visibly displaying a sticker with a QR code.
Daddey-Adjei expressed concern over vendor negligence and highlighted the FDA’s intensified education efforts, including direct outreach and multilingual campaigns.
He underscored the seriousness of non-compliance, stressing that operating without the Street Food Vendor Permit constitutes a criminal offense and offenders will face sanctions.
“We are all doing the same work so when there is the need to assist or let the food vendors know that apart from the health permit it is mandatory for them to get the street food vendor permit, we do” he added.
“It is not possible for the vendors to have the sticker and claim it is at home. It has a QR code and it is sticker which has to be pasted on their shop or wherever they are selling from. To see the one who has complied fully is the one with the health permit and also the street food vendor permit”.
In summary, while the FDA’s initiative aims to enhance street food safety and regulatory compliance, significant challenges persist at Abeka Market, necessitating continued enforcement and public awareness efforts.