16 Accra Food Joints Closed by FDA for Operating Without Hygiene Permits

• Sixteen food outlets in Accra have been shut down by the FDA for operating without valid hygiene permits
• The closures, which took place on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, follow a two-week public notice warning eateries to comply with regulatory standards
• The FDA emphasised its commitment to public health, applying the directive to a wide range of food-related businesses across the country

Sixteen food outlets in Accra have been closed down by the FDA for operating without valid hygiene permits.

The affected establishments were shut down on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, for failing to meet the FDA's regulatory requirements.

Some of the popular food outlets closed by the FDA included Cheesecake House, Dolce Frizzante, Onda, Alora Beach Resort, among others.

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According to a report on Citinewsroom, the action follows a two-week public notice issued by the FDA.

In the public notice, which was shared on social media, the FDA warned that, effective 1 February 2026, all eateries operating without a valid Food Hygiene Permit would be closed down.

The FDA further reiterated its commitment to protecting public health and ensuring that all food outlets in the country operate in strict compliance with approved hygiene standards.

“The directive applies to a broad range of food-related businesses, including restaurants, lounges, hotels, chop bars, snack bars, food vans, bakeries, event caterers, online food vendors, and canteens in schools, hospitals, and offices,” the public notice stated.

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FDA calls for ban on Dadesen

Meanwhile, the FDA has called for a holistic ban on the use of local cooking pots, also known as dadesen.

The FDA warned the locally manufactured pots contain toxic levels of lead, a heavy metal that has silently endangered thousands of households.

Speaking at a stakeholder engagement on heavy metal contamination in cereal-legume mixes held in Somanya, Yilo Krobo Municipality. Anita Owusu-Kuffour, the Eastern Regional Manager of the FDA, called for an immediate ban on the use of local cooking pots.

According to her, local artisans, unaware of the long-term dangers, often mix lead into the metal to soften it and make moulding easier.

“When they are making the pots, the metal becomes hard, so they add lead to soften it. The sad part is that most of the local manufacturers have no idea about the health implications.”

She further warned that families using such cookware risk daily exposure to toxins every time they cook.

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Owusu-Kuffour also advised the public to be cautious with non-stick cookware, explaining that when the protective coating wears off, it can release harmful chemicals and heavy metals into food.

Fishmongers convicted for drying fish on road

YEN.com.gh previously reported that the Accra Metropolitan Sanitation Court had convicted 10 fishmongers after they dried fish on a road median.

The first arrests were made on February 4, leading to a sanitation court appearance and the subsequent arrest of others.

The assembly has warned traders to desist from using medians and other unauthorised public spaces for commercial activities.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh