GANTA, Nimba – The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Nimba County has destroyed a large consignment of assorted consumable and non-consumable items deemed unwholesome. The disposal occurred on September 20, 2024.
Described as “unwholesome and unhealthy for consumption” by Nimba County Senior Commerce Inspector, Billy Flehn, these goods were confiscated over a one-month period from shelves and warehouses of various businesses across Nimba County.
“We are destroying these items because they are not safe for consumption,” Senior Commerce Inspector Flehn explained to journalists.
The disposed items included white cement, flour, biscuits, frozen food items, vegetable cooking oil, and juices, among others.
Inspector Flehn emphasized that the ministry not only seized these expired and substandard goods from business owners but also imposed fines in accordance with the law. While he refrained from naming specific businesses due to their partnership status with the Commerce Ministry, he noted that some of the expired items were confiscated from notable business houses in the county.
“We can’t name the businesses from which goods were confiscated because they are our partners, but we can confirm that goods were seized from several, including some well-known ones,” Inspector Flehn stated.
When pressed for details about the expiration dates of the confiscated goods, Inspector Flehn disclosed that the majority had expired between 2020 and 2022.
In a related development, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has ordered the immediate closure of Banjak Frozen Food, Incorporated, a prominent cold storage facility. Reasons for the closure were not disclosed to the media. On September 19, Commerce Ministry inspectors were seen instructing staff at Banjak Frozen Food to vacate the premises until further notice. Efforts to obtain comments from the staff were unsuccessful.
Investigations revealed that Banjak Frozen Food has been flagged previously for selling expired frozen food in Nimba County.
Banjak Frozen Food Inc., a leading supplier in the region with branches in all major cities of Nimba County, is now under scrutiny.
Local citizens have commended the Commerce Ministry for its efforts to rid the county of unwholesome products. However, there is ongoing concern about the ministry’s ability to ensure that expired and substandard goods do not reappear on local market shelves.
Residents hope that the new administration at the Commerce Ministry will not only confiscate unwholesome goods but also follow up to prevent these items from re-entering the market.
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