Yammi Gari is Not Banned (Spread)

Story: Lucy Adoma Yeboah
THE Managing Director of Philio Delio Smile Foods, producers of Yammi Gari Mix, Madam Philomina A. Debrah, has explained that her product has not been banned.
She said her product was different from another product reportedly banned by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) in Kumasi, which appeared on the front page of a national daily last month.
Producing documents to support her statement, Madam Debrah said the Yammi Gari Mix was of good quality and had, therefore, been certified by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), the Food Research Institute and the Ghana Standards Board (GSB).
Reacting to the publication which she said had affected her business, she said her product went through all the necessary tests and came out as a good and safe food for human consumption.
The GSB issued a certificate with number 708031, and signed by the acting Executive Director of the board and issued on July 14, 2007 to Phillio Delio Smile Foods to enable the company to use the board mark of conformity on its product, Yammi Gari Mix.
The certificate stated that “ the Board hereby grant to Phillio Delio Smile Foods of Accra hereinafter called the Licensee, the right and licence to use the registered certification mark of the board set out in the first column of the schedule which are produced by the licensee in accordance with the appropriate Ghana standard referred to in the third column of the said schedule as from time to time amended”.
Under what was referred to as “schedule” on the certificate, it stated that “Goods in respect of which the use of the mark is granted is Gari Mix (Yammi)”.
A letter headlined “Food Registration”, issued on August 13, 2008, and signed by the Deputy Chief Executive, Food Division of the FDB, Mr Kwamina Van-Ess stated that, “This is to acknowledge receipt of your corrected labels and to inform you that your product has been registered as follows, Yammi Instant Gari Mix - FDB/Rt 07-005. You are required to indicate this number on your product.”
Madam Debrah said her product was prepared in Tesano in Accra but not in Kumasi and also with the above proof, there was no way it could be identified with another product which was said had been banned by the FDB in Kumasi.
She assured her numerous customers to continue to enjoy her product, Yammi Gari Mix, since it had been tested and approved by recognised state institutions.