Editorial
Eat more fruits and veggies, less carbs
Poor nutrition causes illnesses and ultimately death worldwide, particularly in low-income nations according to research.
In Ghana, access to and the quality of food are becoming increasingly problematic.
“We are not eating well, and our diet has now become a source of disease and death for us,” stated Professor Anna Lartey, the former Director of Nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in Rome, during a keynote speech.
Prof. Lartey disclosed this at the launch of the UG Nkabom Seminar Series, Honours Programme, and Mentorship/Internship Programme in Accra.
She also disclosed that over 3.1 billion people worldwide lack the financial means to maintain a healthy diet, with approximately 1 billion of those individuals living in Africa. In Ghana, roughly 65 percent of adults lack the financial means to maintain a wholesome diet.
People these days habitually consume junk food, so “if you live in an area where the foods around you are highly processed foods and junk foods, it is most likely to influence the kinds of foods you will choose.”
One of the main issues is that a lot of Ghanaians eat a lot of carbohydrates and not many fruits. In order to live a healthy life, people should eat more fruits and vegetables and less carbohydrates.
The Spectator praises the “Nkabom Collaborative,” a strategic project that aims to revolutionise Ghana’s agri-food system by enabling the youth to take advantage of opportunities in the food and nutrition value chain, notwithstanding the seriousness of the situation.
The goal of the programme was to prepare the young people to become the future generation of tech-enabled farmers, manufacturers, agritechpreneurs, and inventors of agrifood products.
Therefore, The Spectator exhorts young people to take advantage of the chance to gain employable skills and support the growth of the country.
Regarding the initiative, which aims to increase young women’s, people with disabilities’, and internally displaced people’s access to nutrition and agrifood systems, we think that with coordinated efforts, the programme’s goal of creating 55,000 jobs and 3,000 SME establishments over the next ten years will be accomplished.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has recommended that every Ghanaian eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, and we support this suggestion. This implies that output will fall short of our needs.
Nonetheless, we think that the demand would open up more doors for many Ghanaians, particularly young people, to pursue careers in agriculture in order to bring about a sustainable agri-food revolution in Ghana and beyond.
In order to promote a healthy lifestyle, this will cover food systems like production, processing, retail, consumption, and disposal with an emphasis on a clean food environment.
To solve issues with the food system and advance food security, concerted national initiatives are required.
Dear Editor,
I AM writing to draw your attention to the inadequate street lights in some parts of Wawase, a situation that continues to pose serious concerns for residents.
Street lights play a crucial role in ensuring safety and security within a community. Unfortunately, several areas in Wawase are completely without functioning street lights.
This has made movement at night very difficult and dangerous, especially for workers, students, and traders who return home late.
The lack of proper lighting has also created an enabling environment for criminal activities such as theft and harassment. Residents often live in fear, and some are forced to limit their movements after dark. Additionally, poor visibility increases the risk of road accidents, putting both pedestrians and drivers at risk.
It is concerning that despite the growing population and development in Wawase, this basic infrastructure issue remains unresolved.
I would like to appeal to the relevant authorities, including the local assembly and electricity providers, to urgently address this problem by installing new street lights and repairing faulty ones.
Ensuring adequate street lights will not only improve security but also enhance the overall quality of life for residents in the area.
Gwen Mensah, Agona Swedru
Dear Editor,
FOR some time now, I have been deeply concerned about the state of the Kaneshie footbridge, which has over the years developed cracks, exposing some rusted metal parts and raising safety concerns.
It is, therefore, welcome news for daily users of the facility like myself that a team from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), visited the facility and announced a temporary closure to allow for maintenance work to be carried out.
While I wish to commend the Assembly for the move, I believe it has been long overdue.
I often find it difficult to understand why, as a country, we sit, wait, and watch for preventable incidents or tragedies to happen before we react. I say this because the issue of the bad state of the Kaneshie footbridge has been one that has been re-echoed by many who use it on a daily basis.
I believe that as the Assembly looks to start the maintenance works on the footbridge, it is also important for it and other Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to pay attention to other footbridges across the country that are in a similar state.
The time has come for Ghana, as a country, to be more proactive than reactive.
I will also urge the assemblies to deploy their respective teams to always check on footbridges across the country to ensure that they are in good shape to avoid any tragedy that could lead to the loss of human lives.
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