FDA embraces cutting-edge digital platforms to boost service delivery

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Manso Opuni, has announced a bold digital transformation agenda aimed at enhancing service delivery and stakeholder engagement.

Speaking at the Authority’s 2024 Annual Stakeholder Meeting held on Wednesday, August 20, Prof. Frimpong-Manso emphasized that the FDA is leveraging cutting-edge digital platforms to achieve more timely and efficient responses to clients and stakeholders.

“We are looking at cutting-edge digital platforms with the ultimate goal of responding to our clients and stakeholders in a timely manner,” he stated, stressing the importance of technology in driving regulatory excellence.

This year’s meeting was held under the theme: “Improving Productivity and Efficiency Through Digitalisation and Staff Commitment.”

Prof. Frimpong-Manso revealed that the newly deployed Governor FDA Integrated Regulatory Management System (GFM) now allows applicants to file and track regulatory submissions online, significantly reducing delays.

He also highlighted ongoing collaborations with global partners—including the EU, Gates Foundation, WHO, and GIZ—to establish advanced laboratories, build a secure data center, and support regional capacity-building initiatives.

Citing improved laboratory accreditations and expanded testing capabilities, he assured stakeholders of the FDA’s commitment to ensuring public health and regulatory integrity in Ghana and across the sub-region.

“We are working hard to reset regulation in Ghana,” he said, “and to build the better regulatory regime we all want.”

On her part Director for Public Enterprise Secretariat, Lovia Bamfo noted that the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) critical role in safeguarding public health is not only a regulatory mandate but a cornerstone of Ghana’s national development.

Ms. Bamfo commended the Authority for its unwavering dedication to protecting the health and well-being of Ghanaians, describing the institution as an “uncompromising guardian of public health.”

“The prosperity we seek as a nation is directly linked to the health of our citizenry."

"The FDA’s work touches every aspect of our lives—from the food on our tables to the medicines we take and even the cosmetics we use daily,” she noted.

Ms. Bamfo praised the FDA’s commitment to transparency and collaboration, adding that its openness to feedback from regulatory partners, civil society, and the international community reflects a progressive approach to public service.

“By shifting from a one-way command-and-control model to a two-way dialogue with stakeholders, the FDA is building trust—a far more effective tool than enforcement alone,” she said.

She also highlighted the Authority’s recent achievement of World Health Organization Maturity Level 3 (WHO ML3) status as a significant milestone.

"This achievement is not just a badge of honor for the FDA. It is a strategic national asset that signals to the world that Ghana’s regulatory system is robust, mature, and dependable,” she emphasized.

Presenting some updates, Head of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the FDA, Afua Amoako-Mensah, said the Authority is intensifying efforts to ensure compliance with food hygiene standards under its Street Food Vending Permit Scheme.

“In the year under review, we trained 3,510 food vendors and issued 1,094 permits"

"However, many vendors failed to complete the process by securing health certificates despite follow-up reminders,”

She stressed that the FDA is also collaborating with border security agencies to clamp down on non-compliant products entering the country

The meeting, which brought together stakeholders from the Ministries of Finance and Health, exporters, importers, and community leaders, focused on strategies to strengthen productivity and safeguard public health.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith