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Health implications of serving dry ice in cocktails
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned bar operators and cocktail consumers about the health risk of dry ice served in cocktails.
In a feature article copied to The Spectator, it stated that the use of dry ice in cocktails has become increasingly popular in recent years, as it added a unique and impressive visual effect to many cocktails because of the dramatic “smoking” effect it created.
“Although dry ice itself is not toxic, it can pose certain health risks if not handled properly. It is, therefore, important to educate the public on the proper handling and use of dry ice to prevent any potential safety hazards,” the article said.
The FDA noted that the revellers at night clubs, bars and other eateries must beware of the risk of carbon dioxide exposed in such enclosed places, due to the use of dry ice.
“When dry ice is added to drinks, it sublimates (i.e. moving directly from the solid state to the gaseous state), releasing carbon dioxide gas. This gas could displace oxygen in the air and create a hazardous environment, particularly in small or enclosed spaces. To prevent this risk, it is important to use dry ice in a well-ventilated area and avoid using too much dry ice at once,” it warned.
Additionally, the FDA said that bartenders must educate themselves and other staff on the proper handling of dry ice. This included wearing gloves and using tongs or other appropriate tools to handle the dry ice, as it can cause frostbite or burns if it comes into contact with skin.
The FDA further advised cocktail providers to alert their staff and customers to avoid ingesting dry ice in their drinks, which causes serious injury to their mouths and stomach walls.
The Authority informed bartenders to store dry ice in a well-ventilated, cool, and dry area, and should not be sealed in airtight containers or rooms.
“It is also important to transport dry ice in insulated containers to prevent any potential safety hazards during transport,” it added.
Moreover, the FDA, underscored the importance of labelling drinks which contained dry ice, thereby forewarning customers of the potential hazards associated with it.
“This can be done with a label or warning sign on the menu, or by informing customers directly when they order the drink,” it said.
The FDA, therefore, entreated consumers to be cautious about carbon dioxide exposure, and that the potential for frostbite and burns were the main risks associated with dry ice.
“A little usage of dry ice goes a long way when it comes to creating the “smoking” effect. Using too much dry ice can be dangerous, as it can cause an excessive amount of carbon dioxide gas inhalation,” it advised.
Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO2), which is a colourless, odourless gas that is present in the air we breathe. It is extremely cold, with a temperature of around -78.5°C, thus making it a great option for chilling drinks quickly.
President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned four career diplomats as ambassador-designates to represent Ghana in four countries.
The commissioning ceremony took place on Friday, October 16, 2026.
The new envoys are Her Excellency Nana Antwiwaa Dodoo, Ambassador-Designate to Angola; His Excellency Louis Kwame Obeng, Ambassador-Designate to Qatar; Her Excellency Evelyn Korantemaa Ofosu-Amable, Ambassador-Designate to Israel; and His Excellency Jedidiah Reuben Adogla, Permanent Representative-Designate to Switzerland.
President Mahama charged them to advance Ghana’s national interests through strategic partnerships, economic diplomacy, investment mobilization, and expanded access to international markets.
He said Ghana’s diplomatic engagements must deliver tangible economic benefits, create jobs, and strengthen the country’s standing on the international stage.
The four envoys are career diplomats with over 27 years of experience.
On behalf of her colleagues, Her Excellency Nana Antwiwaa Dodoo thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them and pledged their commitment to emulate his leadership and deliver on the mandate given to them.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The professor who spends his days exploring the intricacies of African languages found himself at the centre of a different kind of lesson on Friday, October 2, 2026. 
This time, there were no lecture notes, academic arguments or university classrooms. Instead, there was the weight of tradition, the rhythm of a community celebration and the solemnity of an oath at a royal palace.
Professor Ọbádélé Kambon, a full Professor of African Linguistics at the University of Ghana, was enstooled as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene of Akuapem Mampong in the Eastern Region in a ceremony that brought academia and traditional authority together.
For the professor, the occasion was more than a new title. It was a moment that connected his academic interests in African languages and indigenous knowledge with the living traditions of an Akan community.
The day’s events unfolded through a series of customary observances. Kambon was first taken to the compounds of the Ɔkyeamehene and Gyasehene, where the preparations for his installation continued.
Then came the application of hyire, the white kaolin powder associated with traditional rites.
With the customary proceedings underway, the new chief was lifted onto the shoulders of celebrants and carried along the main thoroughfare of Akuapem Mampong.
The procession transformed the streets into a public stage for a ceremony rooted in the community’s traditional institutions.
There was something striking about the image, a university professor, accustomed to the measured language of academic discourse, being carried through the town in a display of traditional recognition.
Yet the celebration was not complete with the procession.
A ram was sacrificed at the Mamponghene’s compound before Kambon was taken to the palace, to swear the oath associated with his new offices.
The ceremony brought him formally into his roles as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene.
Beyond the colourful proceedings, the titles themselves carry layers of historical meaning.
Kambon in his research explores the historical connections between Apagya and Akan political and military organisation.
Accounts cited in his work linked Apagya to an asafo, or military company, while historical writing traces an Apagya stool in Asante to the reign of Opoku Ware I in the eighteenth century.
These historical associations offer a glimpse into the institutions that have shaped Akan society over generations, although they do not automatically define the precise responsibilities of the office in Akuapem Mampong.
Kambon’s own professional life reflects a similar interest in preserving and examining African knowledge.
His work encompasses Akan language structure, naming practices across the Black world, proverbs and indigenous intellectual traditions.
Through Abibitumi, the platform he founded, he also promotes language learning, scholarship and cultural engagement.
But tradition was only one part of the story that day.
When the formal ceremony gave way to a reception, the occasion expanded into a celebration of three milestones: Kambon’s enstoolment, his promotion to full professor and his daughter Ama’s admission to the University of Ghana.
The gathering therefore carried a personal significance that went beyond the honours bestowed on one man. 
It celebrated professional advancement, the continuation of family aspirations and a connection to cultural heritage.
For a father, seeing a daughter gain admission to the same university where he holds a distinguished academic position offered another reason to celebrate.
For the professor, the moment placed family achievement alongside his own professional and traditional milestones.
Kambon had already established a place in the traditional life of Akuapem Mampɔn through an earlier installation as Banmuhene Kyidɔmhene, recorded in 2017.
His latest enstoolment adds another chapter to that relationship.
In Akuapem Mampɔn, the day brought together the university, the palace and the family table in one celebration. And for Kambon, the journey from the lecture room to the traditional procession showed how scholarship, cultural responsibility and family achievement could converge in a single memorable occasion.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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