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Health alert! Contaminated ‘shito’ floods market
Information available to this paper indicates that some unscrupulous dealers in hot pepper sauce (shito) in Accra are said to be selling contaminated product to the unsuspecting public in order to make more profit.
It is alleged the “shito” is usually made with unhygienic and discarded fish heads and scales of dried herrings (amane or Keta School boys) for sale.
But a trader at the Kaneshie Market (name withheld) in Accra, confirmed this in an exclusive interview with The Spectator when this reporter took it upon herself to interrogate the veracity or otherwise of the issue at stake.
She said the “shito” makers purposely came to the market to buy these discarded parts of the herrings and add a few uncontaminated ones to it before grinding them together in a near-by mill.
She said these illegal and criminal activities had been going on for a long time, but it was only now that, she had got the courage to expose them, following the COVID-19 outbreak which calls for consumption of healthy foods.
“I have always wondered why some hot pepper sauce (shito) bought from the market had so much sand in it,” a customer lamented.
“I was disappointed when I saw dried fish heads and scales poured on the bare floor and flies hovering all around it just in front of a fish seller’s basket at the Kaneshie market,” another said .
The informant said she approached the fish seller and asked her if the fish scales and heads were for sale and she responded in the affirmative.
Still surprised and wanting to know more, “I asked her what it was used for and she said “for shito.”
According to her, that was what most “shito” makers used in preparing their product .
Many health experts had predicted that, disease would hit consumers harder if the high level of insanitary conditions in the markets were not addressed.
In a telephone interview with a senior health official at the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) who pleaded anonymity, he confirmed that they had received reports of some women making “shito” with unhealthy and discarded fish parts.
He gave an assurance that their health officials would go round some of the markets in Accra to check on these aberrations and those found culpable would be brought to book or prosecuted in the law courts.
Dr Kojo Cobba Essel, a Medical Doctor and Chief Executive Officer of Health Essentials Limited, commenting on the subject was of the view that if the traders used only a part of the fish that is edible then there is no problem.
But “if (the traders), indeed, used fish scales then that should be a cause for worry because the “scales are not digestible,” he said.
He explained that the presence of sand in the hot pepper sauce (shito) could cause stomach disorders as the sand may contain other impurities.
For this reason, Dr Essel stressed the need for food inspection agencies to step up their game by conducting random checks at the markets and, where neccessary, issue warning whenever they identified contaminated products.
“Not everybody can go to the high-end places to buy their “shito”; many people would still buy from the street. So we are at the mercy of the enforcement agencies. Once they identify and blacklist people [through enhanced surveillance], those who sell unwholesome products would refrain from the practice,” he noted.
He has therefore advised individuals to prepare their own hot pepper or black sauce (shito) at home, if they can, or allow someone they trust to prepare it for them.
Madam Sandra Seyram Kpedor, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Anloga in the Volta Region, has emphasised the importance of parental involvement in children’s education, stating that education is free, but parents need to do more to support their children.
She said parents, teachers, and students must be involved in addressing the challenges facing the district’s education sector, particularly the poor Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.
Madam Kpedor outlined some key roles parents should play to promote their children’s education, including providing a conducive learning environment, monitoring their children’s progress, and supporting teachers.
The DCE highlighted some challenges the district faced such as inadequate infrastructure and a shortage of teachers, which have also contributed to the poor BECE results and called on well-to-do parent to help solve the situation through and other supports.
To address the issues, she also announced that plans have been taken to utilise the district’s common fund to implement educational projects, such as constructing school blocks and teachers’ bungalows at Sodzi community, and 2-unit classroom blocks each at Akplorwutorkor and Tegbi-Afedome respectively, among others.
Madam Kpedor also noted that her office had earlier notified the Ministry of Education to deploy more teachers to the area to improve teaching and learning, and encouraged students to work hard and strive for excellence, and work beyond their limit to succeed.
“To my wonderful and beautiful girls, you have to know it clear that women and girls have equal opportunities to compete with men for greater achievements,” she indicated.
The DCE cited her own achievement as a testament to the fact that women can excel in leadership positions, alongside Vice President Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, and stressed that girls were no longer limited to domestic roles but can pursue their dreams and become leaders.
Additionally, she mentioned that a meeting was held earlier with assembly members, and other stakeholders to address the district’s educational challenges and improve academic performance.
She promised that the district’s education oversight committee and stakeholders would work together to address the challenges and improve the district’s BECE results and called for parental involvement and support to boost the district’s education sector for children to chase their dreams to become future leaders for the success of the district and the nation.
She urged parents not to leave everything to the government but rather help in the provision of some necessary materials such as textbooks, exercise books, pens, pencils, food, and guidance to children for the successes of young learners. –GNA
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The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
