Regulators say traders disguised banned baby products as tissue paper, and the destroyed diapers could have exposed infants to bacteria and fungi.
Twenty-eight bales of second-hand and low-grade diapers have been destroyed by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana's product safety regulator, after the consignment was intercepted in a 40-foot shipping container.
The bales were incinerated at Shai Hills in the Greater Accra Region as part of a nationwide enforcement drive to clear unsafe baby-care products from the Ghanaian market.
The seizure has been welcomed by the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), a body that advocates for buyers in Ghana. Nana Prempeh Okogyeabour Aduhene, the CPA's Executive Director of Mediation and Arbitration, called the destruction an important move to shield infants and shoppers from unsafe products, as reported by Daily Guide Network.
Why bale diapers worry regulators
Second-hand diapers sold in bulk bundles are widely known in local markets as "bale diapers" and are attractive because they are cheap. But the FDA says the way they are shipped is the problem.
The Authority explained that the products usually arrive in loose packaging rather than sealed cartons. That leaves them open to moisture, dust and pests while in transit.
Under those conditions, the FDA said, harmful fungi and bacteria can grow. Babies, whose skin and immune systems are still developing, are especially at risk from unhygienic products placed directly against the body.
Traders accused of mislabelling containers
The FDA also said its investigations found that some importers had tried to slip the banned goods past checks at the ports by declaring the containers as ordinary tissue paper.
The Authority warned that anyone found importing the prohibited products will face legal and regulatory sanctions. It added that importers will also have to pay the cost of safely destroying the seized goods, meaning the state does not absorb the bill for disposal.
Advice to shoppers
Nana Aduhene urged consumers not to buy baby-care items whose safety and quality cannot be confirmed. He encouraged shoppers to stick to products that have passed regulatory checks and are registered with the FDA.
Registered products normally carry FDA details on the packaging, which buyers can check before paying.
The CPA said keeping unsafe goods off the shelves will require sustained cooperation between regulators, consumer groups and the public, and that such teamwork is needed to strengthen consumer protection in Ghana.
What it means for Ghanaians abroad
For Ghanaians in the United States and elsewhere who send money home or ship goods to family, the case is a reminder that baby products bought in local markets may not always be what the packaging suggests. Relatives buying nappies at home may want to confirm the item is FDA-registered before purchase.
The FDA has indicated the enforcement exercise is continuing nationwide, so further seizures are possible.
