FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Ousman Sillah
4 January 2008
A two day strategic planning workshop aimed at directing the activities of the CODEX committee from 2008-2012 recently concluded at the NaNA Headquarters at Mile Seven.
Addressing the workshop, Dr. Omar Touray, Chairman of the National CODEX Committee, said "The NCC is mandated by the Food Act 2005 to be responsible for the development of national food standards, guidelines, procedures and regulations for ensuring Food Quality and Safety throughout the food chain."
Dr. Touray said that the standards developed by the NCC are aim at protecting consumers' health and The Gambia's economic interests and ensuring fair practices in food trade.
He said that the purpose of the workshop is to prepare a strategic plan that will come up with a practical action plan for a 5 year period and cost; that once the plan is adopted by the government of The Gambia, the NCC will then work closely with actors in the food industry, including concerned government agencies, consumer associations and producers to mobilize resources for the strengthening of the Food Quality and Safety system. The NCC Chairperson went on to list the priority issues to be addressed by the NCC as:
1. Improvement in the current state of street foods.
2. Ensuring the importation of quality and safe foods.
3. Ensuring quality food exports from The Gambia, thereby reducing the rate of rejections of Gambian agricultural and food exports reaching international markets, particularly groundnuts and fish.
4. Ensuring that The Gambia's testing and analytical laboratories attain international accreditation. At the moment none of these laboratories are accredited internationally.
5. Dedicate greater efforts to improving the legal, regulatory and institutional framework of the National Food Quality control and safety system.
6. Greater effort dedicated to consumer awareness and education.
7. Development of a sustainable funding mechanism for the food control and safety systems.
During the course of the two day session, specialist working groups were tasked to come up with proposals on the different intervention areas that are to constitute the five year Action Plan (2008-2012).
Other speakers included Mrs. Fatou Jasseh Kuyateh, Permanent Secretary Office of the Vice President, Mr. Pa Modou Phall, Executive Director of NaNA, Mr. Mamadi Ceesay, consultant.
It was attended by the members of NCC.
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