BY GRACE ZIGAH
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has closed down Virgen Natural Mineral Water, a sachet water production facility located at Ashongman in the Ga East Municipality, for operating without the mandatory regulatory licence required to manufacture packaged drinking water in Ghana.
The enforcement action forms part of an ongoing nationwide inspection and compliance exercise being undertaken by the FDA to clamp down on illegal food manufacturing facilities and strengthen food safety standards across the country.
According to the Authority, the operation is being conducted under a special food facilities inspection and enforcement exercise running from July 14 to July 24, 2026.
The nationwide exercise is aimed at identifying food processing and manufacturing establishments operating outside the regulatory framework while ensuring that licensed operators comply with approved food safety and quality standards.
The FDA explained that the inspections are intended to strengthen regulatory oversight over food production, protect consumers from potentially unsafe food products and ensure that manufacturers meet the required standards before their products reach the market.
As part of the enforcement exercise, inspectors discovered that Virgen Natural Mineral Water was operating without the necessary licence required under the food and drugs regulations, prompting the immediate closure of the facility.
The Authority has not disclosed whether any of the sachet water produced by the company has been recalled from the market or whether additional sanctions will be imposed against the operators.
