Nutrition
Ghana’s National Nutrition Council: The governance body we need now
Ghana has nutrition policies. Ghana has nutrition targets. Ghana has nutrition programmes spread across multiple ministries and dozens of implementing partners.
What Ghana does not have is a single, empowered body responsible for leading, coordinating, and holding all this together. That is the gap a National Nutrition Council would fill, and stakeholders are calling for one now.
The case for a council
At a stakeholder engagement convened under the Nourish Ghana project in 2025, participants proposed the establishment of a National Nutrition Council to provide effective leadership and a governance framework for addressing malnutrition in Ghana. The meeting, which brought together policymakers, development partners, civil society organisations, and the media, highlighted a fundamental problem: nutrition responsibilities are fragmented across various ministries. Without a dedicated coordination body, efforts are duplicated, accountability is diffuse, and nutrition consistently loses out when budgets are tight.
The proposal echoes a model used in several countries that have made the fastest progress against malnutrition. Nigeria’s National Council on Nutrition, for example, recently pledged $107 million at the 2025 N4G Summit, a level of coordinated ambition that Ghana has struggled to match.
Ghana does have existing coordination structures worth acknowledging. The Scaling Up Nutrition Cross-Sectoral Planning Group (CSPG), established in 2012, was set up to harmonise planning, implementation, and monitoring of nutrition actions across sectors. It has produced real gains. But the challenge has been institutionalising those gains beyond project cycles, and analysts have called for an elevated national coordination body with presidential oversight to ensure genuine cross-sector accountability. A National Nutrition Council would go further, providing the dedicated financing and convening authority that the CSPG, as currently structured, does not have.
What a Council would do
A National Nutrition Council would provide political oversight and coordination across all sectors involved in nutrition, health, agriculture, education, social protection, and finance. It would track Ghana’s nutrition commitments, hold ministries accountable for delivery, and ensure that nutrition budgets are protected and spent effectively. Most importantly, it would give nutrition a permanent seat at the table where national development decisions are made.
The Time Is Now
Ghana made 10 commitments at the 2025 N4G Paris Summit. Translating those commitments into results requires a governance structure that does not currently exist. Establishing a National Nutrition Council is not a bureaucratic exercise. It is the institutional foundation without which Ghana’s nutrition ambitions will remain promises on paper. Leaders must act on this proposal without delay.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
Ingredients
-2 cups of cooked rice
-Oil
-2 pounds of fresh lobsters
-1/2 tablespoonful of grinded ginger
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 onion
1 cup frozen peas
-3 large carrots
-3 eggs
-3 tablespoonful of soy sauce
-2 tablespoonful of diced green onions
Preparation
-Cut lobsters into bite-sized pieces and toss for 2minutes.
-Put a saucepan on fire and add a tablespoonful of oil.
-Stir in diced onion, garlic, peas, carrots and other vegetables.
-Add rice and stir to coat. Stir occasionally until rice is warmed through.
-Add soy sauce to the rice and stir well
-Remove from heat and serve.
Benefits of Lobsters
Snack (Baobab drink)
Ingredients
-Condensed milk
-5 tablespoonful of honey (optional)
-1 teaspoonful of flavour (vanilla or strawberry essence)
Preparation
-Place 2 tablespoonful of baobab powder in a bowl and mix with water.
-Set mixture aside for it to dissolve properly.
-Sieve the baobab mixture to remove lumps and fibre for a smooth drink.
– Add honey or sugar, milk and flavour to your taste.
-Best served chilled.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
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Lobster is a nutritious seafood that provides several health benefits. It is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy nutrients that support the proper functioning of the body.
– Builds and repairs body tissues: Lobster is rich in high-quality protein, which helps build muscles and repair damaged tissues.
-Supports brain health: It contains vitamin B12, which helps maintain healthy nerves and supports proper brain function.
Strengthens the immune system: Lobster contains zinc and selenium, minerals that help the body fight infections and protect cells.
– Promotes healthy bones: It provides phosphorus and some calcium, which contribute to strong bones and teeth.
–Supports heart health: Lobster contains omega-3 fatty acids, which may help support cardiovascular health.
–Prevents anaemia: Its vitamin B12 and iron content help the body produce healthy red blood cells.
–Supports thyroid function: Lobster contains iodine, which the thyroid gland needs to produce hormones that regulate metabolism.
–Helps maintain healthy skin: Its protein and zinc contribute to skin growth, repair and maintenance.
Supports energy production: Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins help the body convert food into energy.
Helps maintain healthy muscles: Its protein and potassium support muscle function and maintenance.Health.com
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