Features
The threat of food shortage in Africa
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• Africa has around 600 million hectares of uncultivated arable land,
roughly 60 per cent of the global total
Even though all sectors of the economy in Ghana and elsewhere in the world are important, it is necessary that equal attention is paid to each of these sectors, especially the food and agriculture sector due to its essential contribution to the economy.
This is important because it is the agricultural sector that produces food and essential raw materials to feed the people and the nation. Without food, the people in any country cannot eat and become strong to go about their normal duties.
QUALITY FOOD
If people are well fed from quality food, they become strong and healthy and hardly fall sick assuming the environment in which they live is kept clean for the survival of the people.
Some credible institutions in the world such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have started warning African countries including Ghana to be very careful and position themselves for the farmine which is likely to confront them.
IMF WARNING
Indeed the IMF is warning of impending food security issues for Ghana and other African countries due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. The Fund said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed food and energy-related commodities to record levels on the global market.
The captured concern, it should be noted, is in the IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook Report released quite recently. This concern cannot be taken for granted.
The report has already made it clear that many countries in Africa are already struggling when it comes to food security, inadequate production of goods and services and also lack of many consumables needed by people in the African region to live good lives as a way of improving upon their general welfare.
NEED TO TAKE NOTE OF THE WARNING
Since Ghana is in the African region and has been mentioned in the report, there is the need for authorities in this country to take note of this warning and reposition themselves for the great battle ahead. Needless to say, the Russian-Ukraine conflict has created shortages in food supply from that part of the world to other areas. Apart from finished products coming from Russia and Ukraine, shortages of many raw materials for food production are being experienced, thereby making it extremely difficult for countries close to Russia and Ukraine to export adequate quantities of food and raw materials to other parts of the world including Africa.
The countries around such as Hungary, Slovakia, Czech, Romania, etc are thinking of their own food security and, therefore, are not in a rush to export their food items to Africa.
Even in a situation where they are willing to export some of these food items, the products have been strongly affected by inflation. For this reason, the food items are exported to countries in Africa at high costs since it has become extremely difficult for them to be produced at cheaper prices.
IMPORTS AT HIGH PRICES
The world today is, therefore, faced with a situation in which a variety of food items are imported at high prices. What Africa can do is to stop being import-oriented as far as food items and raw materials are concerned, so that they can depend on their own selves for adequate food production. This is what Ghana and other African countries need to do to forestall the dangers associated with food insecurity.
Ghana’s programme known as “Planting for Food and Jobs” together with other good programmes in the agricultural sector have come in at the right time. Indeed, had it not been this good programme of food planting, the situation would have been worse.
COVID-19 AND SHORTAGES
When the COVID-19 struck the world and created sudden shortages in food production, it is food items from this food programme that saved Ghana as a country. It made it possible for the people to be fed in all parts of the country because food items had been produced in abundance. Unfortunately, the food situation now cannot be said to be the best because of the soaring prices of foodstuffs in the country.
The prices of locally produced crops have become expensive because some of the raw materials such as fertiliser are imported. Since the fertiliser comes from the Russian-Ukraine area, their prices have naturally gone high, so we are expected to be confronted with high prices from now onwards until the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine. If the war does not end today or immediately, things will continue to be worse. Already, the prices of food items as well as fertiliser keep rising and rising. With the price of crude oil also rising higher and higher, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many people in African countries to cope with the unfavourable economic situation. Such a situation, unfortunate as it is, must end now and this is why we expect the two countries at war to reconsider their positions and the interest of the entire world, and do what they can to bring the war to an end.
It has been stated by certain people time and again that, it is not God the creator of the world who will bring an end to the world. Rather, it is the activities of man that will bring the world to an end.
RUSSIA AND UKRAINE
And how true this sounds in the light of what is going on between Russia and Ukraine!
Meanwhile, Ghana ought to continue to improve upon its Planting for Food and Jobs programme, so that enough can be produced to feed her own people and possibly the countries around. Also, the country needs to restrategise and begin to produce its own fertiliser to forestall similar occurrences in the future.
ORGANIC FERTILISER
Organic fertiliser is easily obtainable within the country. The problem, however, is with the manufacture of chemical fertiliser which is usually imported. However, since efforts have been made to produce vaccines within the country in light of the experience of the COVID-19, we can attempt at producing our own chemical fertiliser also for the country.
ECONOMIC SITUATION
The economic situation today is very challenging but with the right policies in place, Ghana will be able to overcome any obstacles and challenges that confront it today.
By Dr. Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
Contact email/whatsApp address of author:
Pradmat201@gmail.com (0553318911)
“A woman who abandons her baby in a dustbin at Kasoa Lorry Station is not always a wicked woman. Sometimes, she is a wounded woman whose mind has broken, whose family has rejected her, and whose society has left her with only one terrible option: disappear or be disgraced.”
That is the hard truth Ghana must hear.
In the last 10 days alone, our nation has been confronted with the same painful headline, twice.
Case 1 – Kasoa Main Lorry Station, Central Region: A newborn baby girl was found abandoned inside a dustbin at the public toilet of the Kasoa Main Station. A woman who went to use the facility discovered the infant and raised an alarm. Commercial drivers and bystanders quickly retrieved the baby and rushed her to the Kasoa Polyclinic for emergency medical care.
Case 2 – Asante Bekwai, Ashanti Region: On Thursday morning, August 20, 2026, a two-week-old neonate was reportedly abandoned by an unknown nursing mother at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region. Residents who came across the child raised the alarm. The baby was admitted to the Bekwai Government Hospital as police commenced investigations.
Let me be clear from the start: Newborn abandonment is wrong. It is dangerous. It is criminal. And it can kill. This article does not excuse it. But if we only arrest and shame, we will never stop it. We must treat the root, not just punish the fruit.
What exactly is newborn abandonment? – The two definitions
The Legal Definition: Under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Section 96, and the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), abandonment of a child under 12 years is a criminal offence. It is classified as exposure and abandonment, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. The law sees the mother as a perpetrator.
The Psychological definition: In clinical textbooks, newborn abandonment is defined as the intentional, permanent relinquishment of all parental rights, care, and responsibilities over an infant within the first 28 days of life without making formal, legal arrangements for care.
To understand this crisis properly, we must not confuse it with child abandonment. Newborn abandonment happens within 0-28 days of life, often driven by acute panic, denial of pregnancy, or postpartum psychosis where the attachment bond never formed. Child abandonment, on the other hand, involves toddlers to teenagers where a bond existed but collapsed over time due to chronic poverty, family breakdown, or parental burnout. One is an acute crisis of the first month; the other is a chronic breakdown over years. Both are harmful, but they need different interventions.
Psychologically, newborn abandonment is the ultimate rupture of the primary attachment bond. Think of a 19-year-old university student who secretly gives birth alone in her hostel room, wraps the crying baby in a polythene bag, and drops it at a refuse dump at midnight. That is not just a crime scene; it is a scene of extreme panic and psychological dissociation.
Why would a mother carry a baby for 9 months and then abandon it?
This is the question every Ghanaian asks. If you wanted to abandon it, why not abort? The answer is deeply psychological:
1. The psychodynamics of denial of pregnancy: This is a profound defense mechanism, not a lie. The mother’s subconscious mind completely rejects the reality of the pregnancy. She does not gain weight normally, feels no kicks, does not seek antenatal care, and genuinely convinces herself she is not pregnant until sudden, shocking labour pains take her by surprise in a toilet or bedroom.
2. Fantasy of a dissolving problem: This is called cognitive avoidance. She believes “my boyfriend will come back,” “my mother will forgive me,” or “something miraculous will happen before birth.” So she waits, paralyzed, until the baby is here.
3. Barriers to safe abortion: Deep religious guilt, moral anxiety, fear of dying from a back-alley abortion, lack of money for a safe procedure, and family laws force her to carry to term even when she feels incapable.
4. The shock of reality and acute panic: Upon delivery, the physical presence and crying of the newborn shatters all denial. Confronted with immediate exposure, shame, and reality, her brain enters a trauma response — “fight, flight, or freeze.” For many, it becomes “flight” — physically escape the threat of exposure to survive socially. That is why babies are left in places where others will find them -lorry stations, churches, hospitals.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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Features
Environmental stewardship is an act of worship: The Islamic response to climate change, environmental degradation (Part 4)
The environmental consequences of illegal mining have reached alarming levels in Ghana. Several major rivers, including the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, Birim and Tano, have experienced significant pollution from illegal mining activities, increasing the cost and complexity of water treatment while threatening the availability of potable water for millions of citizens (Water Resources Commission, 2024; Ghana Water Limited, 2024). These developments underscore the urgent need for stronger environmental governance and collective action.
Islam equally emphasises accountability in governance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that every leader is responsible for those under his or her authority (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7138; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1829). This principle extends to public officials entrusted with environmental regulation, traditional authorities responsible for communal lands, mining companies, local assemblies, and community leaders. Environmental protection cannot succeed
where accountability is absent.
At the same time, addressing galamsey requires more than law enforcement. Sustainable solutions must tackle the underlying socio-economic realities that drive individuals into illegal mining. Many young people are motivated by unemployment, poverty, and limited economic opportunities. Islamic principles of social justice therefore call for the creation of alternative livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, vocational training, responsible small-scale mining under strict environmental standards, entrepreneurship, and skills development. Environmental protection and economic empowerment should not be viewed as competing priorities but as complementary goals that promote human dignity and national development.
Faith communities also have an indispensable role to play. Mosques, churches, schools, traditional councils, and civil society organisations possess significant influence in shaping public attitudes and behaviours. Imams, in particular, should consistently remind congregations that wealth acquired through actions that destroy communities and Allah’s creation cannot be regarded as a blessing. Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Water conservation, waste management and sustainable development: Practical expressions of Islamic stewardship
Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Islam is not merely a religion that condemns environmental destruction; it also provides practical guidance for preserving and sustaining the natural world. Through its teachings on moderation, cleanliness, conservation, and responsible consumption, Islam cultivates an environmental ethic that remains remarkably relevant to contemporary challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, waste management, and climate change. These teachings encourage Muslims to become
responsible custodians of Allah’s creation in both private and public life.
Water conservation: A sacred responsibility
Water occupies a unique position in Islam as the source of life and an essential element of worship. Allah says, “And We made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?” (Qur’an 21:30, Sahih International). This verse reminds believers that water is not merely an economic resource but a divine blessing upon which all living creatures depend. The importance of water is further reflected in Islamic acts of worship. Muslims perform ablution (wudu) before the five daily prayers and ritual bathing (ghusl) under prescribed circumstances.
Yet, despite its central role in purification, Islam strongly discourages wastefulness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once advised one of his companions not to waste water while performing ablution, even when using water from a flowing river (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 425). This timeless guidance establishes the principle that abundance does not justify extravagance.
Conservation remains a religious obligation regardless of the apparent availability of natural resources.
This Prophetic teaching carries profound implications for contemporary Ghana. Illegal mining has severely polluted many rivers, increasing the cost of water treatment and limiting access to safe drinking water for numerous communities. Climate change has also intensified seasonal variability in rainfall, placing additional pressure on freshwater resources (IPCC, 2023). Against this
backdrop, conserving water is no longer simply an environmental preference—it is a moral imperative grounded in Islamic teaching.
Water conservation should therefore become a shared responsibility among households, educational institutions, industries, and places of worship. Simple practices such as repairing leaking pipes, harvesting rainwater, protecting riverbanks, avoiding contamination of water bodies, and promoting efficient irrigation contribute to safeguarding one of Allah’s greatest blessings. Every effort to preserve water is an investment in public health, food security, and the
wellbeing of future generations.
Unfortunately, indiscriminate disposal of refuse remains a significant challenge in many communities. Plastic waste clogs drainage systems, contributes to flooding during the rainy season, pollutes rivers and beaches, and threatens marine ecosystems. Open burning of waste further degrades air quality and poses serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly (UNEP,2024).
The author is Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governnace Expert.
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