The First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo yesterday unveiled a new logo for the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to reflect renewed efforts at positioning the agency as a centre of excellence when it comes to protecting public health and safety.
The new logo, comprising of two arcs in yellow and blue, forming a circle around the acronym, “FDA”, symbolises the Authority’s willingness to embrace engagement with stakeholders, ensure an all round monitoring system for consumer wellbeing and guarantee authenticity.
In a speech, the First Lady observed the unique role the FDA had played over the years in protecting public health indicating that a rebrand at such a time would better project the institution’s corporate image and enhance its respect among local and international stakeholders.
She however cautioned that the “rebrand must not be for rebranding sake but must ensure that it is purposeful and in line with your mandate to the Ghanaian people.”
Having recently earned the title of a Nutrition Champion for the country, Mrs Akufo-Addo held that issues relating to malnutrition, food hygiene and unwholesome products remained top on her agenda.
She thus expressed concern over the use of sachet water in recent times which she thought had increased public waste and continued to degrade the environment.
“If we don’t act now to stop this pollution, the future of our planet would be jeopardised. We must make every effort to reduce, recycle and reuse plastics and plastic materials to save our environment,” she urged.
Mrs Akufo-Addo encouraged staff of the FDA to embrace the new face of the regulatory body and resist practices that may “oppose the spirit of the new corporate brand so together, you can build an institution that will stand the test of time.”
“To all stakeholders and partners of the FDA, this is an opportunity to embrace the new brand and be counted as true partners in the development of such a vital institution,” she advocated.
A Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Kwadwo Kom Abban in an address charged the FDA to critically look at effective regulation of advertisements especially on herbal medicines in rebranding itself.
He also asked that the Authority strengthened its post market surveillance so as to ensure that regulated products on the market were safe, efficacious and of good quality in spite of the country’s porous borders.
“Launching a new corporate identity indicates that the institution intends moving towards a better direction, improve itself and also implies that it’s using additional means to fulfil its mandate,” he noted.
“It is therefore worrying that almost every radio or TV station air advertisement on herbal products and I wonder whether those adverts have been approved by the FDA in view of the claims that are made within those adverts.”
“I will really appreciate if you will take this caution of mine as one of your major projects going forward by liaising and collaborating with relevant institutions like the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Independent Broadcasting Association (GIBA), the BNI, the Police and other relevant institutions to ensure that this menace is dealt with,” the Deputy Minister urged.
Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Mrs Delese Darko believed the rebranding would position FDA as an evolving dynamic brand that moved with the ‘times’ and remained relevant in the ever changing business environment.
According to her, the new look emphasized the FDA’s stance on being a human centered and quality focused institution.
“Rebranding means rededicating the FDA to improved and effective regulations to ensure transparency, equity and prioritisation of the wellbeing of Ghanaian citizens.
Where the FDA logo appears on a product, people must be assured that the product is of the right quality and safe and where the FDA logo appears on a name tag, people must know and be assured that the bearer can be trusted to deliver excellent service in a timely manner,” she stated.
By Abigail Annoh