The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has confiscated smoked and dried fish and launched a major demolition exercise at the Tema Newtown fishing enclave, following a viral video that exposed the appalling unhygienic conditions under which fish for public consumption is being processed.
The video, shared by volunteer sanitation group Buzstopboys on July 27, 2026, showed fish being stored dangerously close to a refuse dump, with some individuals also seen engaging in open defecation in the same area. A member of the group was heard expressing alarm in the footage: “What sort of self-destruction are we causing ourselves? Look at us; fish is being placed close to a refuse dump”.
Rapid Response and Seizure
The FDA stated that its attention was drawn to the viral video and that it immediately dispatched a rapid response team to the location on the same day—Monday, July 27—in collaboration with the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and the Ghana Police Service.
In a statement issued on July 28, the FDA confirmed that fish exposed to unhygienic conditions had been confiscated to prevent them from entering the food value chain. The affected fish processors were also educated on the public health risks associated with poor handling practices.
Demolition Exercise Underway
The TMA, in collaboration with the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has also commenced a major demolition exercise targeting makeshift structures along the shoreline. The TMA has stated that the demolition will pave the way for the clearing of accumulated refuse and that hygienic platforms will be constructed to provide fish processors with safer and more sanitary facilities for drying and smoking fish.
Tema East Sub-Metro Chairman noted that fishmongers had been given prior notice before the exercise. However, the demolition was reportedly met with resistance from some fishmongers, leading to confrontations with officials. Some affected fish processors appealed to authorities to provide waste bins and improve sanitation facilities rather than demolish their structures, arguing that better support would help them maintain a cleaner working environment.
History of Recurring Issues
The FDA acknowledged that similar incidents have occurred in the past, and that the Authority has consistently collaborated with relevant agencies to protect public health and safety. This is not the first time the Tema fishing enclave has come under scrutiny; in April 2026, a mass fish mortality at the Tema Shipyard triggered a joint investigation by the FDA and the Fisheries Commission.
What Consumers Should Do
The FDA has advised the public to purchase smoked and dried fish only from clean and reputable sources. Consumers are urged to inspect fish before buying, avoid products with offensive odours, unusual colours, or signs of spoilage, and to wash smoked or dried fish thoroughly before cooking. The public is also encouraged to report suspected unhygienic food processing, storage, or sales to the nearest FDA office or local assembly.
Commitment to Public Health
The FDA has assured the public that it will continue to collaborate with partner agencies to remove unsafe fish and fish products from the market while strengthening education and enforcement efforts.
