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Displaying food items in sunlight harmful-FDA warns
Retailers of groceries in the country have been advised to desist from exposing canned and bottled food products to the direct sunlight in order to keep the quality of such products intact.
Mr Kofi Essel, Head of Food Industrial Support Services Department (FISSD) of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in an interview with The Spectator, explained that such practices could potentially compromise the safety and quality of the product through the oxidation of some of the constituent chemicals in the product.
He said this, among other phenomena, explained the reason behind the declaration of storage conditions by manufacturers of such food products, including the caution not to expose the product to direct sunlight.
Mr Essel further emphasised the need for all to ensure that the food they ate was wholesome and was in the best of conditions.
He said the FDA, during its regular surveillance in the markets and shops throughout the country, ensured that, such abuses were eliminated.
Mr Essel said it was unfortunate the design of many grocery shops in the country were not done specifically to promote the expected display practices, a situation which compelled retailers to display their wares outside their shops.
He suggested that retailers should, instead, display empty bottles or provide other objects in front of their shops to signify the products on offer, otherwise the shop owners should erect canopies under which their wares would be displayed to attract customers.
Mr Essel said a lot could be done to ameliorate the problem through public education and long-term designs of shops in the country.
He indicated that, plans were underway to meet various stakeholders in the construction industry to discuss current construction designs and requirements for the food industry.
By Raymond Kyekye
The Dzidula Pink Foundation, a new organisation dedicated to cancer awareness, early detection, and patient support, has been officially launched in Accra, with a passionate call for national commitment to fighting the disease. The launch event, held last week Friday, carried the theme: “Beyond the diagnosis: A future of restoration, care and courage.”
Speaking at the event, Madam Abena Brigidi, founder and CEO of Nimed Capital Limited, emphasised that cancer remains one of the most devastating health challenges facing families across the country. “Cancer does not discriminate—it affects mothers, fathers, daughters, and sons. It drains families emotionally and financially, and behind every statistic is a human story and a future suddenly thrown into uncertainty,” she said.
Sharing her personal encounters with cancer, having lost both her husband and father to the disease, Madam Brigidi highlighted the emotional, financial, and physical scars left behind. “I stand here not just as a speaker, but as a witness to what cancer can take away,” she stated. “I have watched loved ones fight bravely, and I have felt the deep pain that loss leaves behind.”
She stressed that awareness and early detection are critical to reducing deaths, noting that many Ghanaians still lack access to proper screening, reliable information, and adequate treatment. She appealed to healthcare professionals, corporate institutions, policymakers, the media, and the general public to join hands in the fight. “Early detection saves lives. Your support today can lead to someone’s healing tomorrow,” she said.
Madam Brigidi further called for collective responsibility to sustain the foundation’s mission. “To our medical professionals, we need your expertise. To corporate partners, your resources. To the media, your voice. To policymakers, your support. And to the public, your compassion,” she urged. She also insisted that breast cancer awareness should not be limited to annual campaigns, saying, “Breast cancer awareness must not be seasonal.”
Mrs Diana Fafa Gozo, founder of the Dzidula Pink Foundation, shared her own cancer journey, describing the shock of diagnosis, the fear that followed, and the difficult path through treatment. Her experience transformed her pain into purpose and inspired her to create a foundation to ensure no cancer patient walks alone.
Mrs Gozo explained that many patients struggle not only with treatment costs but also with emotional resilience. She outlined the foundation’s initiatives, which include awareness and early detection campaigns, patient support funds, community outreach, and survival support circles. “This foundation is my offering of gratitude, courage, and compassion and a reminder that no one should walk the cancer journey alone,” she concluded.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it will deploy teams of Public Health Officers, members of its Sanitation Taskforce, and labourers, including sweepers and janitors, across all sub-metros to support the third National Sanitation Day exercise.
It explained that these teams will be equipped with waste collection trucks, tippers, and other tools to help with desilting, refuse collection, and transporting waste to approved disposal sites.
The AMA reminded residents that failing to comply with the sanitation directive or refusing to participate in communal labour is an offence.
It said offenders risk a fine of up to 100 penalty units, imprisonment between 30 days and six months, or both, with repeat offenders liable to additional daily penalties.
It urged all residents, traders, transport operators, market women, shop owners, landlords, tenants, and businesses to actively participate in the exercise.
The AMA said it counts on everyone’s collective responsibility to keep Accra clean, liveable, and resilient, especially as the city approaches Christmas and the New Year.
By: Jacob Aggrey
