Deputy Chief Executive Technical Operations Division, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Akua Owusu Amartey says her outfit is ready to eradicate the activities of Organised Criminal Groups in the country.
According to her, she is confolident following the interest and preparation of participants for the Introduction to Criminal Intelligence Analysis programme.
Madam Amartey explained that, enforcement officers participating in the training are not oblivious of the activities of present Criminal individuals and Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs).
Speaking at the Introduction to Criminal Intelligence Analysis program in Accra, she said "We are confident that your interest and preparation for this training would synchronize with the objectives of the training and thus the expected outcomes shall be achieved. Enforcement officers participating in this training are not oblivious of the activities of present criminal individuals and Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs).
She added that there have been several reports on falsified and sub-standard medicines, unwholesome food, unapproved herbal medicinal products, cosmetics, medical devices, and household chemical substances to enforcement team via media and in-person.
She also noted that the inept of the know-how in intelligence-led law enforcement which is applicable in all areas of FDA’s regulatory mandate impeded officers from taking matters on or eventually apprehending offenders and seizing products.
Madam Amartey stressed that, in the epoch of advanced Technology and open international market, where businesses and brands are susceptible to imitations and manipulations, the ability to effectively enforce regulatory clauses is dependent on the ability to decipher, analyze and evaluate criminal intelligence-related information, and make succinct inferences, deductions and conclusions.
She hinted that the demand for the know-how has necessitated the need for this training in Criminal Intelligence and Investigation for staff of the Enforcement Directorate to step up their operational performances in enforcement activities.
"Not long ago the FDA attained WHO maturity level three (3) in medical products regulations and the strive for a level four (4) maturity is attainable if we are able to effectively implement all enforcement clauses for medical regulatory products."
"Even though WHO maturity is related to medical regulations, the tenacity to carry out our regulatory mandate effectively would influence and facilitate the attainment of level four (4) maturity in no time"
The Deputy Chief Executive Technical Operations Division further mentioned that the FDA as a regulatory body is capable of not completely eradicating the activities of Organised Criminal Groups (OCGs) but can with the right expertise and without any manipulation, control the import, manufacturing, and advertising of all human-related consumables by strictly and firmly implementing and enforcing regulatory clauses backed by Ghana’s constitution that will seek not to compromise regulatory activities.
Quoting Maya Angelou, Madam Amartey said “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better”.
"Let us all note that we have come this far by what we have known and practiced. Now is the time to learn, unlearn and do better than before"
She added that the training is a wake-up call for proactive steps to address and build capacity to mitigate regulatory challenges.
"For the first time, the Enforcement Directorate staff is participating in a criminal Intelligence and Investigation training program, and we have the honor of having an expert consultants on Criminal Intelligence, Investigations and Crime Prevention as instructors and strong knowledgeable internal facilitators"
"The training program has four modules. The first module, Introduction to Criminal Intelligence Analysis, has six iterations for six groups of thirty each."
"Your participation in the subsequent modules would be subject to your knowledge-based performance in the previous module training you participated in."
As part of its efforts to safeguard public health and safety amid global increased criminal activities, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is rolling out a comprehensive capacity strengthening programme to help the Authority improve its enforcement activities with a focus on intelligence-led regulatory and enforcement regime.
This is expected to yield improved outcomes as well as the efficient use of resources to counter the activities of organised crimes that threaten the health and safety of the people of Ghana and the sub-region as a whole.
The FDA continuously upgrades its systems, procedures and practices to enable it consistently fulfil its mandate of ensuring public health and safety, through effective regulation of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, herbal medicines, household chemicals, tobacco and tobacco products.
The dangers posed to public health and safety as a result of the criminal production and marketing of substandard, falsified, unwholesome, and non-performing regulated products, make a heightened attention on their movement in trade a justifiable adventure.
Such criminal groups take advantage of the global nature of trade, weaknesses in collaboration among security agencies, regulatory authorities, border controls, weak and lenient sanctions, and huge gains they make out of their minimum investments.
They are also known to employ advanced technologies to outwit detection and arrest.
The programme includes a series of training events in intelligence and investigations, covering areas such as criminal intelligence analysis, criminal investigations, and strategic intelligence analysis.
The series of training events would be organised in Accra and Kumasi to cover all the staff of the Enforcement Directorate in the Head Office and staff in the Regional Offices who undertake enforcement activities.
The first of the series of training is scheduled for 15th to 19th August 2022 in Accra.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith