Aklor

Aklor is a simple Ghanaian dish typically prepared with fish and pepper sauce and often served with banku.

The process involves boiling the fresh fish, grinding pepper and spices, and mix with the cooked fish for a meal.

Traditionally, Ga fishermen eat this meal while at sea, using seawater to boil the fish, which sustains them until they return to shore.

It’s one of the quickest and most delicious meals they enjoy.

Ingredients

-I kilogram of fresh fish

-3 tablespoonfuls of grinded pepper

-3 tablespoonfuls of grinded onion

-2 tablespoonful of grinded garlic

Spices of choice and salt to taste

Preparation

– Wash, clean and cut the fish into a bowl

-Season with salt and other optional spices

– Put the fish in a pot with water and place on fire to boil

– Allow fish to cook until tender

-While the fish is boiling, add grinded red pepper onions, ginger, garlic, and salt to taste

-Once the fish is cooked, remove it from the sauce and place it in a bowl

-Add the pepper sauce and mix well

-Serve with banku (or other preferred accompaniment)

Malnutrition in Ghana: A policy crisis hiding in plain sight

Let's fight malnutrition in Ghana

For many Ghanaians, “malnutrition” is often misunderstood as simply a lack of food. But nutrition experts say the reality is far more complex and far more urgent. It is not just about being hungry. It’s about not getting the right nutrients at the right time, especially for children under five and pregnant women. While the consequences are dire, the real danger lies in how little political attention the issue receives.

According to the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, 12 per cent of children are underweight, and 6 per cent suffer from wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition. Meanwhile, anaemia affects nearly 50 per cent of women of reproductive age, increasing risks during pregnancy and childbirth.

Nutrition interventions, like vitamin supplementation, school feeding, and treatment for severe malnutrition, are essential to saving lives and securing a healthy population. Yet only 0.4 per cent of the national health budget is allocated to nutrition-specific interventions. Many programs are heavily reliant on foreign aid, which is not only unsustainable but risky. The recent withdrawal of USAID support left a $156 million funding gap, threatening the availability of life-saving nutrition and health services.

The economic cost of this crisis is staggering. Ghana loses an estimated GH₵4.6 billion annually due to the long-term effects of malnutrition on productivity, education, and healthcare. Children who are stunted are more likely to struggle in school, earn less as adults, and suffer from chronic illnesses, all of which lock families into cycles of poverty.

But Ghana can reverse this trajectory. The experience of countries like Rwanda and Peru shows that with strong political commitment, dedicated budget lines, and multisectoral coordination, nutrition outcomes can improve dramatically.

That’s where the Nourish Ghana Project comes in. Led by Women, Media and Change (WOMEC) Organisation, the project aims to raise awareness and push for policy reform through advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and media mobilisation.