A woman has been arrested at the Madina Market for allegedly selling unapproved chemicals suspected of being used to accelerate the ripening of bananas and plantains.

🇬🇭 Here's What Happened

The arrest was made on Tuesday, August 19, during an operation conducted by a task force from the Madina-La Nkwantanang Municipal Assembly, together with personnel from the Madina Police and the Environmental Health Unit.

The exercise followed concerns raised by traders about the alleged use of unapproved substances to speed up the ripening of fruits and other farm produce being sold at the market.

The concerns came to light during an engagement between officials of the Assembly and traders at the Madina Market on Wednesday, August 12. Some traders alleged that chemicals were being applied to fruits, particularly bananas and plantains, to make them ripen more quickly.

📌 Key Details

Following the concerns, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ibrahim Fialla, directed the Environmental Health Unit to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Fialla said the Assembly would step up its monitoring activities and carry out a broader search of the market to identify traders who might be selling or using unapproved substances.

He said the exercise would also help authorities establish the extent of the alleged practice and remove any substances found to be unauthorised.

According to the MCE, the operation would not only focus on enforcement but would also involve educating traders about the potential dangers of applying unapproved chemicals to food products.

The trader who initially raised the alarm also claimed that her son became ill after eating bananas she suspected had been treated with the substance.

She said the child was taken for medical treatment and had since been discharged.

📰 Source: Joy Online Ghana