Some 19 entertainment centers; pubs, nightclubs and restaurants in two regions have been fined a total GH¢475,000 for breaking the rule that forbids smoking in public areas.
The facilities in the Greater Accra Region and Central Region were authorised to pay GHS25,000 each.
This comes after three days of overnight surveillance in Tema, Accra, the Greater Accra Region, and Kasoa, the Central Region, by agents of the Ghana Police Service and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
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The smoke-free law, prohibits smoking at public places such as indoor public spaces, workplaces, public transport and recreational areas, to protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke.
The Director of Tobacco and Substance Abuse of the FDA, Dr Olivia Agyekumwaa Boateng, said out of the 51 locations the team visited, 19 had video and photo evidence of their clients breaking the smoke-free law.
“A person who contravenes any part of the public health Act 2012, part six, is liable to a fine more than 750 penalty units (fine GH¢9000) or a term of imprisonment of not more than three years. In the case of a continuing offence, additional fine of 10 penalty units applies for each day during which the offence continuous. An administrative charge of GH¢25,000 as per fees and charges,” she told the Ghanaian Times Newspaper.
She said the FDA had been educating stakeholders such as hoteliers, and the Ghana Tourism Authority on laws and policies on smoking.
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The operation was to ensure public health safety at public places.
