Rotten chicken: We’ve done nothing wrong – CEPS

The Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) division, of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has said it should be blamed for the alleged imported unwholesome chicken that has found its way into the country.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, a member of CEPS communication team, Paa Kow Ekumah said they also do not think something untoward happened during the clearing of the goods.

“In the case of this chicken, yes, the full work hasn’t been done yet and we have our officers down there and I’m sure in a matter of day or two we will come to the conclusion of it. But nothing really has gone wrong that has to do with Customs having done the wrong thing or even the FDA,” he added.

Mr. Ekumah also said they are investigating the matter to ascertain the truth in it.

“That issue has come up and we are seriously looking at it – investigations going on from different angles. It’s a little sensitive now and it’s a little early to draw conclusions but what we know is that when it comes to Customs, we will always make sure that we will not find ourselves at the wrong side of the law.”

The Herald newspaper reported on Monday reported that thousands of Ghanaians may be in danger as credible information they have from the Tema Ports suggests that, some unwholesome frozen food products, have found their way into the country under bizarre circumstances.

Not all the chicken were rotten – FDA

The Foods and Drugs Board (FDA), one of the bodies involved in supervising such products, also defended its action saying not all the chicken were rotten at the time they saw it at the Tema Port.

According to the FDA,after  its officer assigned to the consignment realized that not all the chickens were rotten ordered for the unwholesome ones to be destroyed but prevented the company [that imported the prodcuts] from clearing a second consignment full with frozen chicken.

The Head of Public Affairs at FDA, James Lartey told Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show that although the second consignment was embargoed they realized that it had been cleared.

He explained that their officer was subsequently able to detain 2,800 cartons of the embargoed consignment.

“I don’t know why our officer should be blamed in this instance. In the first place, he has allowed a product to be cleared…he went there, he did sorting, there was a second institution that was among the sorting team, samples were taken, the wholesome ones were kept and the unwholesome ones were destroyed. What has he done wrong? I don’t know how I’m going to blame our officer.”

Mr. Lartey noted that “With the second consignment, he had clearly agreed that the product should not be cleared and it has been cleared, and it was cleared, how do you blame him?”

“He has followed up and found 2,800 cartons of the one that was not supposed to be cleared and he has detained it, and you blame the officer for what?”

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

 

 

The Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) division, of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has said it should be blamed for the alleged imported unwholesome chicken that has found its way into the country. Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, a member of CEPS communication team, Paa Kow Ekumah said they also do ... Read Full Story