News
Bleaching dangerous to lactating mothers — Queen mother
The use of bleaching creams containing hydroquinone by a section of women particularly lactating mothers in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region, have become a source of worry to stakeholders who are bent on promoting nutritional wellbeing of children in the area.
The Queen of Duori in the Waala Traditional Area, Pognaa Amamata Mumuni who tabled the issue for discussion at the launch of infant nutritional wellbeing project at Wa, expressed concern of the use of such creams by lactating mothers in their quest to lighten their skins in preparation for the naming ceremony of their babies.
She said the women used the creams to lighten their skins in order to get rid of the change in body colour which mostly happened during pregnancy instead of allowing nature to gradually restore their colour in due time.
“According to Islamic tradition, a new born baby is named seven days after birth in a modest Islamic naming ceremony.
However, the event has recently been magnified by the youth with pomp and pageantry accompanied by expensive photoshoots by mother and baby in heavy cosmetic make-up”, she said.
The queen stated that in order to look good in front of the camera, the women resorted to using those harsh body creams immediately after birth to lighten their colour without the slightest knowledge of the effect it could have on their breastfeeding babies.
“Women who use these pomades often sweat a lot but when they are breastfeeding the babies, they do not clean the sweat off the breast and so feed the baby with those chemicals”, she stressed.
Pognaa Amamata Mumuni who is the Girl-Officer of Ghana Education Service (GES) in Wa Municipality called on the Ghana Health Service to introduce such topics in their nutrition sensitization programmes in order to minimise the practice but encouraged women to stop bleaching as it could have negative health implications on them.
The Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Damien Punguyire also said there was the need for mothers to protect their infants’ health by avoiding products that were inimical to the wellbeing of their babies,
“Aside the babies we are trying to protect, bleaching can also cause skin cancers and other health complications for the mother especially given the volume of sunshine we enjoy in this region, hence we encourage women to maintain their natural colour”, he added.
Taking the discussion a notch higher, the Regional Director at the Department of Gender, Mrs Charity Banye advised lactating mothers whose children were in school to spare some time and visit the schools in order to breastfeed them.
“It is disheartening to see that the lunch you packed for your toddlers is intact after picking them up from school with the excuse that they were not hungry when they actually were but there was no time for that one teacher who is attending to about 30 or more other children to concentrate on spending over 30 minutes feeding one child”, she said, painfully.
From Lydia Darlington Fordjour, Wa
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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The Founder of the Raissa Child Protection Initiative, Ms Raissa Sambou, has urged authorities to impose severe punishment on individuals, including teachers and guardians, who sexually abuse young girls.
Speaking in an interview to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), Ms Sambou condemned the increasing cases of sexual exploitation involving minors, describing such acts as “heartless, criminal, and a total betrayal of trust.”
She noted that those entrusted with the care and education of children must not be the same people who violate them, stressing that “anyone found guilty of abusing a girl child must face the full rigours of the law without leniency.”
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote the rights of girls, empower them to reach their full potential, and draw attention to the challenges they face worldwide.
Ms Sambou lamented that poverty continues to push many young girls into vulnerable situations, exposing them to exploitation.
She expressed concern that some headmasters, teachers, and community members who should protect girls rather take advantage of them.
“This must stop immediately. The safety of every girl must never be compromised,” she said, urging the public to report all forms of abuse to the appropriate authorities and called for swift action by law enforcement agencies against perpetrators.
Addressing girls directly, Ms Sambou encouraged them to take their education seriously and to believe in their potential.
“It is possible to be young and responsible. Your future is bright, protect it, believe in it, and never let anyone dim your light,” she advised.
She further urged girls to choose their friends wisely, stay disciplined, and speak up if anyone makes sexual advances toward them.
Ms Sambou concluded with a rallying call for collective action, saying “speak up, protect them, and empower them. Together, we can end the sexual exploitation of girls.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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