The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Western Region has organised a day's training programme on good manufacturing principles for sachet and bottled water producers in Tarkwa, Bogoso, Prestea and its enclaves. The training was aimed at improving the quality of water produced by the producers and ensuring that they adhere to the certified regulations and standards set by the FDA to protect public health. Participants were taken through topics such as food hygiene and contamination, layout and fabrication, packaging material acquisition and control, equipment suitability and usage, storage facility, cleaning, personal hygiene among others. Addressing the participants at Bogrekrom, Mr. Benjamin Appiasam-Dadson, the Principal Regulatory Officer at the FDA Western Regional Office, explained that the FDA has been mandated to ensure public health and safety relating to the products they regulated and one of such was food of which water was inclusive. 'So, from time to time, we hold these training courses to equip our stakeholders with the guidelines and regulations needed for them to increase their compliance levels. We believe that once the compliance levels at the facility increase, we will also have safe and quality products on the markets' he pointed out. Mr. Appiasam-Dadson was hopeful that at the end of the training, the participants would implement what they have been taught to ensure the safety of their products before they get to the market. Mr. Benjamin Brew, Regional Administrator for National Association of Sachet and Packaged Water Producers, for Western and Western North Regions stated that during the rainy season, the quality of water differs from the dry season. He, therefore, appealed to their members to always ensure that at least every year, they send their water to the laboratory to guarantee it cleanliness for human consumption because it's a requirement by the FDA. Mr. Anthony Sam, a participant, commended the FDA for holding such an educative programme to help sustain their business an d also increase their profitability. He called for more training. Source: Ghana News Agency