The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has fined Lamens Investments Africa Limited GH¢100,000 for violating regulatory requirements in the handling of Moshosho Rice imported from India.
The fine follows investigations into the alleged re-bagging of approximately 22,000 bags of 50kg rice, originally imported from India but falsely labeled as “Made in Ghana.”
The rice bags lacked essential information, including manufacturing and expiration dates, in violation of Ghanaian laws.
In a statement, the FDA revealed that investigations confirmed Lamens Investments re-bagged the rice without obtaining prior approval, a critical step required to ensure product integrity and compliance with safety standards.
The statement explained that the re-bagging operations were carried out in an unlicensed facility, and the company failed to ensure FDA supervision during the process.
“The FDA imposed an administrative fine of GH¢100,000 on Lamens Investments Africa Limited for the following regulatory breaches: Re-bagging the rice without prior FDA approval, conducting re-bagging operations in an unlicensed facility, and failing to ensure FDA supervision during the re-bagging process,” the statement said.
The authority clarified that the fine is unrelated to the quality of the rice itself, which had passed rigorous laboratory analyses.
The FDA stated that tests conducted by reputable institutions in India and Ghana, including the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), confirmed the rice met safety standards. However, the importer’s handling of the product violated protocols designed to protect public health.
In a separate development, the FDA recently approved an extension of the rice’s “best before” date from December 20, 2023, to April 30, 2024, after thorough scientific evaluation. However, the authority declined a request to extend the date further to December 2024, citing insufficient stability data to justify the extension.
The FDA also addressed public concerns about its acceptance of partial payments for administrative fines.
The authority explained that this practice allows regulatory actions to proceed without delay, ensuring that companies remain accountable while adhering to their financial commitments.
Reaffirming its mission to safeguard public health, the FDA emphasized that such enforcement actions are essential to maintaining trust in the food supply chain.
“We will continue to uphold the highest standards, taking decisive actions to protect public health and safety,” the FDA said.
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