In Video: Ministry of Social Affairs and Food Authority conduct joint inspections to ensure cooperatives' compliance with regulations and requirements

Nada Abu Nasr: The Ministry of Social Affairs and the General Authority for Food and Nutrition have confirmed the continuation of joint and random inspection tours of cooperative societies to ensure their compliance with the regulations, laws, and health requirements aimed at safeguarding consumers and shareholders’ funds.

This statement came during a joint inspection tour conducted by the Acting Deputy Minister of Social Affairs, Dr. Saeed Issa, and the Director General of Inspection and Supervision Affairs at the Food and Nutrition Authority, Dr. Saud Al-Jalal, at the Al-Qadisiyah Cooperative Society. The inspection covered warehouses, food storage areas, sorting, and returns, to assess compliance with health requirements and operational regulations.

Acting Deputy Minister Dr. Saeed Issa emphasized that the tour is part of a continuous supervisory approach aimed at verifying the safety of procedures within cooperatives. He noted that Al-Qadisiyah Cooperative was selected randomly and that similar tours will cover cooperative societies in various regions in the coming period.

Issa clarified that the inspection teams focused on the mechanisms for receiving and delivering food materials, storage and preservation methods, handling of damaged and returned goods, as well as monitoring various aspects of operations within the society. He stressed that food safety is a central pillar of joint supervision with the General Authority for Food and Nutrition.

He explained that the Ministry’s supervision extends to financial and administrative aspects, as well as employment, procurement, sales, and strategic inventory. He pointed out that electronic integration with cooperatives enables the Ministry to access relevant data and reports, facilitating the rapid identification and handling of any observations.

Issa added that the Ministry does not wait for violations to occur; rather, it relies on reports, complaints, and inspectors’ findings to form audit committees when necessary, to verify any transgressions and take appropriate legal measures.

He stressed that serious financial and administrative violations will not go unpunished, and that measures may include dismissing or dissolving boards of directors and appointing new ones by the Ministry to correct the society’s course.

In a clear message to the boards of directors of cooperative societies, Issa affirmed that the current phase is one of “firmness and law enforcement,” stressing that cooperative funds are shareholders’ money and that cooperative societies are not merely retail outlets, but economic and social institutions playing a pivotal role in serving shareholders and local residents.

He noted that the Ministry is working to enhance governance and develop procedures to keep pace with regulatory requirements, highlighting the issuance of new Bylaw No. 196 of 2026 to regulate cooperative societies’ activities, which will be implemented after completing the electronic platform, paving the way for a qualitative leap in the level of services provided to shareholders, suppliers, and investors.

Issa concluded his supervisory message by reiterating: “No one is above the law,” and that any breach of regulations, laws, or requirements will face legal measures, regardless of the position of the violator or the responsible entity.

For his part, Dr. Saud Al-Jalal, Director General of Inspection and Supervision Affairs at the General Authority for Food and Nutrition, confirmed that the tour reflects the ongoing cooperation between the Authority and the Ministry of Social Affairs, aimed at raising the level of food supervision within cooperative societies.

He explained that the Authority’s teams inspected warehouses, storage and preservation mechanisms, and the sorting area to ensure the separation of unfit or damaged materials from sound products, and to prevent any practices that could affect food safety.

Al-Jalal revealed that the tour resulted in several observations, which were communicated to the society’s management for correction. He affirmed that the Authority’s teams would follow up on the extent of compliance with corrective measures and adherence to health requirements.

He confirmed the continuation of inspection tours of cooperative societies across various governorates around the clock, alongside preparations for new joint tours with the Ministry of Social Affairs in the coming period.

At the end of the tour, Al-Jalal called on consumers to be active partners in the food supervision system by reporting any violations or observations related to food safety through the Authority’s official channels, including the hotline and the “Tawasol” platform, emphasizing the swift response to reports and the taking of necessary measures.