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The Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA), in partnership with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has commenced a major demolition exercise at the Tema New Town beach over concerns about unhygienic fish processing practices.
The exercise focused on removing makeshift structures along the shoreline where some fish processors were reportedly drying fish under poor sanitary conditions, raising concerns about food safety and public health.
The Public Relations Officer of the Tema Municipal Assembly, Frank Asante, explained that the demolition would continue until the area is fully redeveloped. He warned that allowing fish processed in such conditions onto the market could pose serious health risks, stressing the need for strict enforcement.
He added that the affected occupants were given prior notice before the exercise began.
The action follows concerns raised by Buss Stop Boys during a recent community clean-up exercise, which exposed the poor conditions under which fish was being processed and dried at the beach.
However, some affected fish processors appealed to the authorities to consider providing waste bins and improving sanitation facilities instead of demolishing their structures, saying such support would help them maintain a cleaner working environment.
The Tema East Sub-Metro Chairman assured the women that the area would be redeveloped and said they would only be allowed to return after the site meets the required health and environmental standards.
Story by Efua Nessa