SAEMA initiates training on cleaning, hygiene

The Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly has initiated a two-week training programme on cleanliness and hygiene for frontline staff in the hospitality and food and beverage industries as part of the preparation towards Ghana 2008 football tournament and other national events. The programme is being implemented in conjunction with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), Ghana Tourists Board (GTB) and the Cleaning Solutions Limited. Speaking at the first workshop in Takoradi on Tuesday, Mr Elijah Tetteh, Customer Care Executive of Cleaning Solutions Limited, said the training programme was to help raise and maintain hygienic standards in the hospitality and food and beverage industries before, during and after the Ghana 2008 football tournament. He said the programme would be organised at Takoradi, Sekondi and Shama for frontline staff of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, chop bars, drinking bars, water sachet and drinks producers, food vendors, fast food operators, tea sellers and laundry operators. Mr Tetteh said the environmental health division of SAEMA, FDB, GTB and Cleaning Solutions Limited would put in place a strategy to monitor the preparation and sale of food to ensure that the correct ingredients are used and food is sold under hygienic condition. Mr Michael Mensah, an Environmental Officer of the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly, said food vendors who did not undergo medical examination for communicable diseases would not be allowed to sell food during the period of the tournament. He said environmental health officers would move from community to community particularly at night to inspect the medical certificates of food vendors and those who did not have certificates would be prevented from selling food. Mr Mensah said most daytime food vendors have undergone medical examination and have been issued with medical certificates. He said a programme had been drawn up to screen food vendors who sell at night at Kojokrom, Effiakuma and Zenith Hotel area and Accra Station in Takoradi.