News
Ghana grooming future diabetics …Health Experts warn
Ghana is ‘grooming future diabetics’ as unhealthy eating habits, the growing consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles continue to expose more children and young people to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), nutrition experts have warned.
The warning was issued at the Editors’ Forum on Mandatory Front-of-Pack Warning Food Labelling (FoPWL) Advocacy, organised by SEND Ghana and its partners in Accra.
Speaking at the forum, the President of the Ghana Association of Nutritionists and Diebetics, Rev. Prince Baidoo, said Ghana’s changing food environment was fuelling a rise in obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and other diet-related diseases.
According to him, the country is undergoing a nutrition transition in which traditional diets are increasingly being replaced by highly processed foods rich in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.
“Today’s food environment is creating tomorrow’s diabetes and hypertension cases,” he said, expressing concern about the growing consumption of sugary drinks and processed snacks among children.
Rev. Baidoo noted that while Ghana had made progress in tackling hunger and under nutrition, it was now facing a growing burden of diet-related diseases driven by poor eating habits and physical inactivity.
He attributed the trend to rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles and lamented the gradual abandonment of traditional foods such as yam, cassava, cocoyam and millet-based meals in favour of processed alternatives.
The nutrition expert urged Ghanaians to consume more fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains while reducing their intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and ultra-processed foods.
Supporting the call for healthier food environments, Project Officer at SEND Ghana, Ms Baaba Sam, said Front-of-Pack Warning Labels would help consumers quickly identify foods high in sugar, salt and saturated fats.
She explained that the proposed labelling system is based on the World Health Organisation’s Nutrient Profile Model, which sets recommended limits for nutrients linked to chronic diseases.
Under the system, manufacturers whose products exceed the recommended thresholds would be required to display warning labels prominently on the front of packaging to alert consumers.
Ms Sam noted that although nutrition information is available on the back of most food packages, many consumers either overlook it or find it difficult to understand.
“The warning labels make it easier for consumers to quickly identify products that are high in sugar, salt or saturated fats and make informed decisions,” she said.
According to her, the measure would not only empower consumers to make healthier choices but also encourage manufacturers to reformulate products by reducing unhealthy ingredients.
Ms Sam disclosed that a draft Front-of-Pack Warning Food Labelling policy had already been developed through collaboration between the Ministry of Health, civil society organisations and other stakeholders and was currently undergoing technical review.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Firefighters from the Kpando Fire Station of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) have recovered the body of a man from a flooded drainage channel at Kpando-Gabi in the Kpando Municipality.
The incident occurred on Friday, July 3, 2026, after heavy rainfall caused a drainage channel near the Kpando-Gabi M/A JHS to overflow.
Following a distress call that an individual had accidentally entered the flooded channel, a GNFS crew was dispatched to the scene to conduct a search and recovery operation.
The team recovered the body of one male victim from the drain. It was subsequently handed over to the Ghana Police Service for investigations and further action.
The Ghana National Fire Service is cautioning the public to avoid crossing flooded drains, streams, and waterways during heavy rains. The Service noted that floodwaters can be swift, unpredictable, and life-threatening.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has officially reinstated the ‘Samansaman’ sanitation enforcement exercise as part of renewed efforts to restore cleanliness and order across the metropolis.
The operation commenced on Monday, July 6, 2026, with a patrol in Dichemso led by Mr. Kwaku Poku, Head of the Environmental Health Unit. The exercise was carried out by a special task force comprising technocrats and security personnel.
At the end of day one, 13 offenders were arrested for various sanitation offences. The arrested persons have since been arraigned before the Prempeh Assembly District Court for prosecution.
According to KMA, the reintroduction of the ‘Samansaman’ system is to ensure that residents take full responsibility for keeping their homes, businesses, and immediate surroundings clean.
The Assembly noted that the pace of sanitation improvement in Kumasi has been slow in recent times, a situation it says has contributed to deteriorating environmental conditions in parts of the city.
Speaking on the exercise, KMA stated that it remains committed to backing its sanitation agenda with decisive enforcement action to make Kumasi cleaner, healthier, and safer for residents and visitors.
The Assembly is appealing to the public to support the initiative.
“A clean Kumasi is everyone’s responsibility. Let’s all do our part by keeping our surroundings clean and disposing of waste responsibly,” the Assembly urged the people of Kumasi.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
