The Food and Drugs Authority has expressed surprise at criticisms levelled against the Authority by the former Rector of GIMPA, Prof Stephen Adei and has challenged the former Rector to mention names of companies dealing in fake drugs so the Authhority will take action.

Prof Adei was reported to have accused the FDA of abusing its office in the long-running battle between Tobinco Pharmaceuticals and the Authority.

Addressing the opening session of the eighth annual Internal Audit Forum in Accra, Prof Adei wondered how officials of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals would be allowed to walk free if it was the case that they had imported fake drugs into the country.

He suspected the FDA may have other motives other than protecting the interest of consumers in their dealings with Tobinco.

The Pharmaceutical company has been accused by the regulator of importing fake drugs into the country and failing to register the drugs.

Warehouses belonging to the company have been closed down by the FDA in the protracted feud.

The company has accused the Authority of witch hunting them and has called on the president to look into the conduct of the Stephen Opuni-led Authority

Adei, in part, shared the concerns of Tobinco, stating the action by the Authority were some of the reasons some indigenous Ghanaian companies collapsed in the early 1980s.

The Authority has hit back  at the former GIMPA boss.

Its PRO James Lartey told Citi News he is surprised by the comments made by Prof Stephen Adei.

He said the Authority has a statutory duty to ensure that products manufactured or imported are safe for consumption and that is exactly what it is doing.

He said he found it interesting that Prof Adei will say that there are other individuals and companies dealing in fake drugs and yet the Authority has turned a blind eye on them and is harassing Tobinco.

He appealed to Prof Adei to, as a matter of civic responsibility, name other individuals or company dealing in fake drugs so the Authority will act accordingly.

He said the FDA cannot be everywhere all the time.