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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
The Minority in Parliament has called for the immediate resignation or dismissal of the Attorney General, accusing him of incompetence over the release of GH¢350 million from the Contingency Fund for flood relief.
Addressing the media today in Parliament, the Deputy Minority Leader Patricia Appiagyei alleged that the release of the money breached legal procedures because there were ongoing garnishee proceedings involving the Contingency Fund.
According to her, the Attorney General directed the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to allow the funds to be released despite the pending court process.
“The Attorney General’s letter speaks for itself. It directed the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to give effect to the release of funds from the Contingency Fund notwithstanding the pending garnishee proceedings. Yet the Ministry of Finance subsequently announced that the GH¢350 million had been released,” she stated.
Mrs. Appiagyei argued that the Attorney General’s actions showed incompetence and undermined due legal process.
She said the Minority believes the Attorney General should either resign or be dismissed over the matter.
The Minority maintains that public funds must be managed in accordance with the law and has called for accountability over the release of the money.
By: Jacob Aggrey
U.S. Central Command forces have begun a series of powerful strikes against targets in Iran following attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes are in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the international waterway with civilian crews.
According to U.S. officials, the operation is intended to impose heavy costs on Iran for targeting and attacking commercial shipping in a critical global trade route.
The U.S. military described Iran’s actions as “unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire.”
Officials said the attacks on the civilian-crewed vessels posed a direct threat to freedom of navigation and the safety of international shipping.
The strikes mark an escalation in U.S. military action in the region aimed at deterring further aggression against commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
U.S. Central Command has not provided details on the specific targets or extent of damage from the strikes. Further updates are expected as the operation continues.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
