The Upper East Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned sachet water producers against production under unhygienic and poor sanitary conditions, which is a threat to public safety. 

The Acting Regional Head of the FDA, Abel Ndego, who gave the caution, said the Authority has several regulatory and administrative actions ranging from warning letters to closure of facilities, administrative fines and charges, and prosecution.  

“Ultimately, the onus lies on the FDA to ensure public health and safety, and we will not let you make money at the expense of people’s lives,” he told sachet water producers drawn from across the Region at a sensitisation programme organised by the FDA in Bolgatanga. 

The programme offered the Authority the opportunity to share ideas on best practices on what was recommended per the provisions of guidelines and international standards to help equip sachet water producers to produce under higher standards and quality. 

Mr Ndego said the FDA, in its routine inspection of sachet water production facilities across the Region, observed that sanitation was one of the biggest challenges. 

“The cleaning regimes are not as effective as they are supposed to be. Sanitation is critical in ensuring that you preclude or minimise the risk of contamination. 

“If people can effectively ensure that they produce under sanitary conditions, then it just goes on to help protect and preserve the integrity and quality of the products that they churn out to the public,” he said. 

He indicated that Ultraviolet (UV) sterilisation light, a critical control area in sachet water production, ensured the quality and safety of water and expressed concern that some facilities had non-functional UV lights.  

He said the Authority halted production at facilities without the lights until they were replaced before production was permitted.

“It is the UV light that is able to kill any pathogenic or harmful germs or bacteria that enter the water. 

“The filtration process only takes care of the particulate matter, but it is the sterilization by the Ultraviolet radiations that kills the microbes and ensures that we consume water and don’t fall sick,” Mr Ndego explained.  

He said water is life, and that anyone engaged in the business of water production literally held the lives of people in their hands, “ and so if anything goes wrong, it means that we are literally going to have serious ramifications on our hands."

The Acting Regional Head told the producers, “Once we have ample reason to believe that you are not producing under the regimen of regulation, then FDA definitely will step in and take the required regulatory actions.” 

He disclosed that the Authority had so far fined not less than six sachet water facilities and closed down two for non-compliance from the beginning of 2025, saying “We are anticipating that, moving forward, more of these actions would be taken”. 

He said it was imperative for the FDA to ensure that whatever products were produced and consumed within and outside the borders of the Region met the required standard for safety, quality, and efficacy. 

Mr Ndego said 2025 is an action year for the FDA, and that the Authority would furnish the water producers with all the regulatory requirements to ensure they produce safe water for consumption.