The Koforidua Central Police Command has arrested seven female traders for possessing and selling palm oil adulterated with Sudan dye.
Reports by UTV on April 16, 2026, disclosed that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) conducted market surveillance in Koforidua in 2025, with samples of palm oil collected for laboratory testing, with result confirmed the presence of Sudan dye in some of the products.
The FDA then proceeded to take action against traders involved in the sale of the contaminated oil by referring their findings to the Koforidua Central Police.
Reports suggest that on April 16, 2026, police arrested seven women believed to be suppliers of the tainted product.
According to reports, the suspects are producers from Akyem Maase in the Eastern Region, who supply palm oil to market women in Koforidua.
Meanwhile, the FDA has repeatedly warned against the use of Sudan dye in food products, highlighting that the substance is an industrial chemical commonly used in manufacturing textiles, leather, plastics, paper, hair products, mineral oils, waxes, and cosmetics to add colour.
Some Ghanaians reacting to the post shared by UTV Ghana stated, “Food adulteration is a big business? Some people are really harmful to the human race. I am no longer hungry in Ghana”.
“@fdaghana, please check our drinking waters on the market, a lot of unknown individuals just go and buy a branded sachet, a rubber and a bag of any water at all and begin to sell. Some of the water smells like a lot of chemicals. Our food and waters, which used to be medicinal, are poisonous”, one netizen added.
One X user wrote, “When I said this, the last time Ghanaians insulted me.
Most street traders are heartless, they’re feeding people poison”.
“All these wouldn’t be happening if government institutions were operating effectively to curb most of the stupid things being done by citizens in this country”, a netizen added.
One Ghanaian noted, “Watch how quickly they jail them and notice how politicians that embezzle state funds walk around freely…side note, they both deserve jail, but justice should be swift for both the poor and rich”.
“See how wicked a normal person is, and we blame politicians, but the grassroots is even more wicked to each other, selling poison to other people without telling them yh”, a netizen added.
One X user added, “The sad part is, due to illiteracy, some of these women don’t understand why they are even being arrested cos afterall they think the sudee won’t do anything”.
“I have been saying this for a while now. Our biggest problem as a country is some of our traders and the market people ooo
These people really don’t care about anyone ooo
All they did was spend their money”, a netizen highlighted.
One last X user added, “When we say the citizens are more wicked than their leaders, it’s no joke. Very evil people. Many innocent people have suffered kidney damage due to wicked people like this”.
Watch the video below:
Seven women arrested in possession of palm oil adulterated with Sudan dye#UTVGhana pic.twitter.com/5zqWZV0DEB
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) April 16, 2026