The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Samson Asaki Awingobit, has lamented that the alleged influx of smuggled wheat flour into the market has crippled the Ghanaian business.
According to him, this should be a great worry because the consumption of wheat flour products in Ghana has become a major issue of concern because most of these imported wheat flours are either unwholesome or smuggled through unapproved routes into the country from neighboring African states citing Côte d’Ivoire as an example.
Mr. Awingobit speaking to Kwaku Dawuro on Movement In The Morning Show on Wontumi Radio/Movement TV, said that ”most of the smuggled wheat flours have foreign languages inscribed on the bag or sack, which makes it difficult for one to even identify their expiring date or wholesomeness. Nonetheless, most of these smuggled or imported wheat flours have found their way into our markets, schools, and even restaurants across the length and breadth of the country.”
He went on further to say that ”majority of the smuggled wheat flours which have flooded the Ghanaian market do not have the approval of either the Food and Drugs Authority or the Ghana Standards Authority which goes contrary to the laws governing the importation of consumable goods into the country.”