First Lady outdoors new FDA corporate Logo 

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) on Tuesday launched a new logo, as part of its rebranding, depicting its new corporate identity towards effective regulation of food safety and public health.

First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who launched the new logo in Accra, charged the Food and Drugs Authority to focus its rebranding agenda towards safeguarding the ultimate interests of Ghanaians.

She said the outdooring of the new logo would upgrade the corporate image, emotionally and visually entrench the personality of the new brand.

The FDA said the Rebranding means rededicating the FDA to improved and effective regulation to ensure transparency, equity and prioritization of the wellbeing of Ghanaian citizens.

The Authority’s rebranding involving new logos, key visuals, and brand guidelines, all aim towards up-dating the corporate image of the authority.

The logo consists of two arcs in yellow and blue colours that form a circle around the acronym, “FDA”, which is also spelt in full in the shape of an arc above the circle.

The interlocking arcs symbolize FDA’s willingness to embrace engagement with stakeholders. The full circular shape of the arcs represents the complete 360 required checks FDA conduct to ensure consumer wellbeing.

Within the circle, “Ghana” sits beneath the A of FDA to specify the geographical location of the brand.

Its new tagline, is “Your well-being, Our Priority” and sits boldly under the lower arc forming a part of the logo. Its four colours are Blue, representing boldness, Yellow for vibrancy and Black for authority while the White, stands for transparency.

Mrs Akufo-Addo said as the Nutrition Champion for Ghana, she has a huge responsibility to ensure that issues relating to malnutrition, food hygiene and wholesome products, were at the top of the national agenda.

She, therefore, commended the FDA for proving itself to be one of the most powerful regulatory institutions in Ghana, having played its state mandated role of ensuring that food, conventional medicines, herbal medicines, cosmetics, medical devices, household chemicals and tobacco products, were safe for use.

She was also happy that presently, there was an appreciable level of certainty and regulation in the herbal medicinal and beverage industries.

She again, commended the FDA for its effective advocacy campaign that led to restricted time-slots, during which alcoholic beverage advertisements, were aired on television and radio.

“Another area in which the FDA had made huge strides and continues to do so, is in bottled and sachet water production. The unhealthy practice where a single cup is used to serve several people, is a thing of the past,” Mrs Akufo-Addo said.

According to the First Lady “currently, there are several registered brands of hygienically packaged drinking water, certified by the FDA.

“This has increased the availability of clean drinking water where it is needed most, thereby helping to achieve SDG 6 for Ghana”.

She, however, expressed concern over the advent of sachet water that had increased plastic waste, which pollutes the environment, saying “If we don’t act now to stop this pollution, the future of our planet would be jeopardized. We must make every effort to Reduce, Recycle and Reuse plastics and plastic materials”.

While congratulating the FDA on the great work and sterling contribution to national development over the years, Mrs. Akufo-Addo called on them to resist any practice that would oppose the spirit of the new corporate brand and forge an institution that would stand the test of time.

She said she envisaged that the rebranding would help to revitalize the FDA brand, and reposition the FDA, to appeal to a wider public and boost the understanding and acceptance of its role.

She called on all stakeholders and partners of the FDA, to embrace the opportunities that this new brand presents and be counted as true partners in the development of such a vital institution.

She expressed the hope that the new logo would be accepted by the Ghanaian public, whose interest, the FDA seeks to protect, and that stakeholders and partners, would also connect to and reinforce the values underpinning the new message of the Authority.

Mrs Delese Mimi Darko, Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, said over the 22 years of the existence of the FDA, it had been built into a formidable regulatory authority, which is internationally recognized.

She explained that the rebranding would position FDA as an evolving dynamic brand that moves with the times and remains relevant in a changing business environment

“The rebranding will also help reflect the repositioned FDA stance of being a social brand that is human from inside out. An institution that is human centred, and quality focused.

“In the end we want to achieve a social connection with Ghanaians; we want to give the brand a new look and outlook; and we want to make the brand relevant in the ever-changing market environment.

Mrs Darko said 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 that the bearer could be trusted to deliver excellent service in a timely manner.

She acknowledged the notable assistance the FDA had received from other stakeholders and also from the media, in ensuring that its messages were consistently disseminated to the general public.

Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, the Minister of Health, in a speech read on his behalf, charged the FDA to look at advertisements on herbal medicines and whether they have been duly certified by the Authority

He said the FDA should consider it as one of their major projects, and liaise with relevant institutions like the Advertising Association of Ghana, National Media Commission, Ghana Journalist Association, Ghana Independent Broadcasting Association, the Police and other relevant institutions, to deal with the menace.

He also called on the Authority to ensure an effective post market surveillance so as to ensure that regulated products on the market were safe, efficacious and of good quality in spite of the porous borders.

Source: GNA