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The Parrot Communications has been following with keen interest, audio recording story of investigative journalism that has in recent past gone viral regarding the process of authorization which was intiated and eventually issued by FDA to COA Herbal Centre to produce COA mixture as a herbal medicine to replace COA FS which was a food supplement.
“Some aspects of the audio recording captured allegedly, voices of Manasse Azure, a renowned Journalist and the Head of Legal Department of Food and Drug Authority.”
According to the content of the Audio as published by My Joyonline, the Head of Legal Department whose name was not mentioned, allegedly made some statements to imply or suggest that bribery transactions characterized the authorization process that led to the production of COA mixture as a herbal medicine.
Read the full details of their press release, copy sent to Myghanamedia.com newsroom below:
PRESS STATEMENT
TO THE MEDIA
DATE: NOVMBER 13, 2020
PRESENTED BY: PARROT COMMUNICATIONS
SUBJECT MATTER: FOOD AND DRUGS AUTHORITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA DOES NOT TAKE BRIBE TO COMPROMISE ITS PROFESSIONAL OR CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE TO REGULATE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS, HERBAL MEDICINE AND DRUGS.
The Parrot Communications has been following with keen interest, audio recording story of investigative journalism that has in recent past gone viral regarding the process of authorization which was intiated and eventually issued by FDA to COA Herbal Centre to produce COA mixture as a herbal medicine to replace COA FS which was a food supplement.
Some aspects of the audio recording captured allegedly, voices of Manasse Azure, a renowned Journalist and the Head of Legal Department of Food and Drug Authority.
According to the content of the Audio as published by My Joyonline, the Head of Legal Department whose name was not mentioned, allegedly made some statements to imply or suggest that bribery transactions characterized the authorization process that led to the production of COA mixture as a herbal medicine.
Factually speaking, as an authorised regulatory body mandated by the laws of Ghana to professionally ensure efficient administration of food and drug safety in pursuit of making or giving critical recommendations or directives relative to products for consumption designed or manufactured to meeting international safety standards, FDA on April 17, 2020 ordered the recall of COA FS from the market particularly because of microbial contamination of which Professor Samuel Ato Duncan, President of COA Herbal Centre said:
”We want to state that COA Herbal Centre is committed to delivering quality, effective, efficient and efficacious products to consumers and will therefore, comply with all directives by FDA.”
COA Herbal Centre, used the new acquired authorisation to tranform the centre into a research and manufacturing company under the new name, the COA Research and Manufacturing Company Limited which would produce products for both local and international markets.
Management of COA Herbal Centre advanced or applied the concept of employing technical and non-technical staff members to improve quality in addtion to training others on good manufacturing practices stipulated by FDA.
Strictly speaking, all these improvement measures were done or implemented by COA Herbal Centre in compliance with the the directives of FDA to meeting international standards to enhance product safety.
Professor Samuel Ato Duncan commended the FDA for supporting the company to ensure best standards and production of good quality drugs during the restructuring of COA Herbal Centre as a manufacturing factory.
However, process of authorization of the FDA as part of routine exercise must involve mandatorily critical research and professional assessment of products to determine the corresponding health impact on consumers of which the FDA under the leadership of the CEO, Mrs Mimi Darko has exceptionally delivered numerous services without getting financially induced to compromise its jurisdictional authority of doing a professional job as a regulatory body as recommended or demanded by law.
In the course of the recall for COA FS of which has been restructured and improved to be COA Mixture, Professor Samuel Ato Duncan made an allegation without producing any credible material as empirical evidence to adduce his claim in April, 2020 that FDA takes bribes from producers to approve of their products for authorised usage by consumers.
This bribery allegation was eventually referred to the National Security for investigations by CEO Mimi Darko even though FDA didnt receive any formal complaint of bribery allegation as lodged by Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan to enable the constitutionally sanctioned body of the FDA to initiate investigations proceedings.
We, Parrot Communications wish to state the following:
1. That FDA directives to ensure proper restructuring of COA Herbal Centre has significantly improved the manufacturing standards to the extent that COA Mixture has become one of the drugs produced under Standards that will ensure quality and safety.
2. That FDA has been exclusively professional with the mandate as a regulatory body to ensure that products of consumption as produced by COA Herbal Centre meets international product safety standards.
3. That the Head of Legal Department of FDA alleged statements made by her on the tape with regards to the bribery matter for approval of products by FDA for COA Herbal Centre should be investigated to ascertain the authenticity of the allegation to ensure that whoever is found cupable of the allegation faces the full rigour of the law.
4. That the CEO of FDA has demonstrated a high sense of professionalism in the discharge of her duties to ensure concrete conclusion of the matter when she referred the bribery allegation matter to the National Security for investigations.
5. That the process of authorization initiated by FDA coupled with subsequent or eventual commendation made by Professor Duncan to FDA for ensuring that COA Herbal Centre manufacturing of products meets international product safety standards, is a clear indication of the fact that the FDA did their job right for the end has really justified the means as no casualties of the consumption of COA Mixture as we speak have been recorded or proven to be inimical to the health of consumers.
6. That Professor Samuel Ato Duncan should have proceeded officially with his allegation of bribery to the appropriate quarters to enable the FDA to finalize the matter to ensure the preservation of its positive image as a professional regulatory body.
We will follow this matter to its conclusion to prevent any form of misrepresentation or distortions in reportage as has already been peddled by certain group of Media or Journalists.
Thank you for your attention.
Signed
Randolph Osei Buabeng
(Parrot Communications: Administrator)
0244375849/0507343606
Ohene Perry
(Parrot Communications: Director)
Source: Myghanamedia.com
