GBARNGA, Bong County — The Ministry of Commerce has ordered the closure of Branch #17 of Banjah Frozen Food in Gbarnga following the discovery of unwholesome goods in its cold storage facility.
According to the Ministry’s Senior Inspector in Bong County, G. David Mentuah, the action was taken after inspectors identified contaminated and expired products during an inspection conducted on March 10, 2026. Immediately after the discovery, the facility was locked, and management was instructed to turn over the affected goods to the Ministry for proper disposal.
However, authorities say the directive was not fully complied with by the facility’s management.
Since the closure, the goods have reportedly remained improperly stored, leading to environmental pollution in the surrounding community and posing serious health risks to residents.
On a follow-up visit, Ministry officials attempted to remove and dispose of the contaminated goods on Saturday, March 28, 2026. The effort, however, was unsuccessful due to a strong order from the facility, preventing the removal process.
“We had no option but to withdraw and return at a later time,” Inspector Mentuah told reporters during the attempted operation.
He issued a stern warning to operators of cold storage facilities and other businesses across the county to regularly inspect their products and ensure that expired or unwholesome goods are properly handled to avoid regulatory action.
Inspector Mentuah also confirmed that a formal report on the situation at Banjah Frozen Food has been submitted to the Ministry’s headquarters in Monrovia for further action.
Authorities say additional steps will be taken to ensure the safe disposal of the goods and to mitigate the environmental and public health risks posed by the incident.
