By Edzorna Francis Mensah
Government says Accreditation Service Bill currently before Parliament when passed, will help provide the regulatory framework for conformity assessment bodies involved in testing, inspection, and certification when it comes to the production of water bottles in the country.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, was responding to a question on the floor asked by Dr. Kwabena Donkor, MP Pru East, as to what effort the Ministry is making to develop the Water bottling industry to international standards and thus end the importation of water into Ghana, said the regulatory framework for conformity assessment bodies involved in testing, inspection, and certification will be further strengthened with the consideration and passage of the Ghana Accreditation Service Bill.
He said, “first and foremost, there are stringent regulatory procedures put in place by the Food and Drugs Authority for the licensing of packaged water (bottled and sachet) manufacturing facilities and for the registration of the finished packaged water.”
According to him, “These manufacturing facilities are regularly inspected using the Authorities Guidelines, FDA/FDI/GLFPF/2020/02. The inspection covers the starting material (water) and packaging materials to ensure that they meet their respective Standards, and the finished product meets the requirements of GS175-1:2002 (for drinking water) and GS220:2014 (for mineral water).
The FDA also conducts market surveillance and product analysis of products in circulation on the market to keep pace with the phenomenal growth of bottled water and sachet manufacturing”.
The Bill is currently under review by the Select Committee on Trade, Industry, and Tourism in Parliament, and the committee is tasked with examining it thoroughly and presenting a report to the House.
