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Health alert: Stop packing hot, oily foods in plastic bags
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Ghanaians have been advised to desist from packaging hot or oily foods with plastic bags as it posed serious health implications.
Speaking at an event to mark World Food Safety Day in Accra last Tuesday, Professor Esther Sakyi-Dawson, Associate Professor of Food Science, University of Ghana, cautioned that transfer of harmful substances from the plastics into food could be linked to many chronic illnesses that was fast increasing in the country.
“The ingestion of these chemicals can affect the endocrine, hormonal, and immune systems of the human body. It is, therefore, dangerous to consume an oily or hot meal like banku, wrapped in these plastics,” she warned.
Prof. Sakyi-Dawson said not every plastic bag are to be used for foods due to the chemicals used in processing it.
“For example, the black ones generally are used to carry things. You should not put your food into it because they are non-food grade and it must not have direct contact with your food; same with the white polythenes,” she explained.
“While proposing a ban on such low-grade, non-food grade plastics, the Food Scientist encouraged Ghanaians to lookout for food-grade plastics which are often thick to use for food packaging and storage when necessary.
“The onus is on the consumer to make the right decision on the use of these plastics for their own health and life. Take your life into your hands and make the right decisions concerning what goes into your body,” she advised.
This year’s World Food Safety Day was on the theme: ‘Food Safety: Science in Action,’ emphasising the vital role that scientific knowledge plays in ensuring food safety and building trust in the food supply.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 600 million people suffer from foodborne illnesses and more than 400,000 deaths occur in a year from food contamination.
In Africa, at least 91 million people suffer from foodborne diseases annually, accounting for a third of the global deaths, with 40 per cent occurring in children below five.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu has questioned why Ghana continues to import toothpicks despite having the resources to produce them locally.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr. Iddrisu, who previously served as Minister for Trade and Industry, said he feels ashamed that the country still depends on imports for such a basic product.
“I have been Minister for Trade and Industry before and I carry the shame. How come that in Ghana we cannot produce toothpicks and we have to import them?” he asked.
According to him, Ghana has enough resources to support local businesses to manufacture products such as toothpicks instead of relying on imports. He said the country should encourage private sector investment in manufacturing to create jobs and reduce dependence on foreign goods.
Mr. Iddrisu alleged that some people who received government support under private sector initiatives failed to use the funds for their intended purpose.
“If you want, Honorable Kojo, because you… I can’t go there. There are people who took money in the name of the private sector and said they were going to farm. That money never went to their farms. You know that,” he told Parliament.
On job creation, the Education Minister said he agreed with the views expressed by a colleague on the need to create more employment opportunities. However, he argued that the One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme did not provide the solution to Ghana’s employment challenges.
Mr. Iddrisu made the remarks during parliamentary proceedings while contributing to discussions on job creation and the country’s industrial development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications officer, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has dismissed reports linking him to an alleged GH¢55 million case, insisting that no such issue was raised during his detention by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
In a Facebook post after his release from EOCO custody, Mr Aboagye stated that at no point during his detention was he questioned about any GH¢55 million.
“For the records: There was no discussion of any GH¢55 million with me by EOCO. None,” he wrote.
According to him, he was detained for four days, a day after announcing his intention to contest for the position of National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party.
Mr Aboagye alleged that false narratives were circulated about his arrest but expressed confidence that the truth would eventually prevail.
He thanked NPP supporters who demonstrated and called for his release, saying news of the protests reached him while he was in detention and encouraged him.
Mr Aboagye indicated that the support shown by party faithful strengthened his resolve and reaffirmed his commitment to serve the NPP.
He maintained that his detention had not discouraged him from pursuing his political ambition.
“If the intention was to break me, it has failed. If the intention was to scare me, it has failed spectacularly,” he stated.
Mr Aboagye expressed appreciation to his legal team, the leadership of the NPP and all supporters who stood by him throughout his detention.
He reiterated his determination to lead the party’s Communications Directorate, declaring that he remained “ready to win” and committed to what he described as the party’s mission to “command the narrative.”
By: Jacob Aggrey
