The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned the public against purchasing food sold near open gutters, warning that the practice poses serious risks to public health.
Speaking in a radio interview on Citi FM on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the FDA in charge of Food Division, Mr Roderick Daddey-Adjei, said the widespread habit of preparing and selling food in unhygienic environments continues to undermine national food safety efforts.
“Food should not be sold by a gutter, and we will not defend that,” he stated, describing the situation as a deeply rooted cultural problem that requires both stricter enforcement and a change in consumer behaviour.
According to Mr Daddey-Adjei, food vendors including waakye, kebab and kenkey sellers should not be allowed to operate close to open drains if food safety is to be taken seriously. He stressed that sanitation and public education must be prioritised to address the issue.
He noted that consumers also have a critical role to play by refusing to buy food from vendors who operate in unsafe conditions. “You need to educate the consumer so they can make informed choices. Without them, this will not work. The numbers are worrying, and enforcement on its own will not solve the problem,” he explained.
Mr Daddey-Adjei said the FDA is intensifying public education campaigns in markets and communities across the country to help people recognise unhygienic practices and choose safer food options. He added that the Authority regularly engages food vendors and market queens, teaching basic food hygiene and proper handwashing.
Despite these efforts, he admitted that enforcement remains challenging due to the large number of informal food vendors and limited staffing capacity. While local assemblies are mandated to monitor sanitation and hygiene, he said compliance is inconsistent.
Under the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), Mr Daddey-Adjei explained, all food vendors including itinerant sellers are required to obtain permits and meet minimum hygiene standards before operating. However, compliance levels remain low nationwide.
He warned that poor food hygiene has direct consequences for public health, referencing last year’s cholera outbreak which spread from the Western Region to Central and Greater Accra.
“Food safety affects everyone because when people fall sick, the impact is felt by all,” he said, urging the public to make safer choices. “If people stop buying food sold next to gutters and other unsafe places, vendors will be forced to change how they operate. That is one of the strongest tools available to us.”
