News
Malnutrition disaster to public health — Stakeholder
Ghana’s ongoing malnutrition problem is both a public health concern and a development disaster because it affects child survival, mother health, and birth outcomes,
Although Ghana has made significant strides in addressing malnutrition, but critical challenges persist, and immediate action is needed to address the issue, especially with regard to children under five.
These issues were brought up during a stakeholder discussion on malnutrition in Ghana organised by Women, Media and Change (WOMEC), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that works to advance gender equality and empower women in partnership with the Coalition of Public Health Actors (CAPHA).
The meeting served as the formal inauguration of the “Nourish Ghana; Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition Project,” one of WOMEC’s main advocacy efforts. The “Uniting to End Malnutrition” project seeks to increase public awareness of Ghana’s urgent malnutrition problem and its effects on development and health.
The gathering included local stakeholders, the media, civil society organisations (CSOs), and policymakers.
The Executive Director of WOMEC, Dr Mrs Charity Binka, stated in her speech that malnutrition costs Ghana about 6.4 per cent of its GDP annually and that, despite pledges, they were insufficient because the country was still struggling with malnutrition.
She pointed out that despite continuous attempts, little has been accomplished, with inadequate government funding for nutrition programmes and enduring regional imbalances.
Dr Mrs Binka disclosed that new statistics from the 2022 Ghana Demographic Health Survey (GDHS) shows that nearly half of children under five suffer from anaemia, with 18 per cent of them being stunted, 6 per cent wasted, and 12 per cent underweight.
According to her, the statistics demonstrated the urgency with which the problem must be resolved, failing it will have an impact on the productivity and well-being of future generations. She also argued for more financing, responsibility, and leadership in order to boost national policy action on nutrition.
In a statement by Nii-Odoi Odotei, the Principal Planning Analyst of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), malnutrition jeopardises Ghana’s future by preventing sustainable growth and causing large financial losses.
“The coexistence of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity among the same populations, homes, and people is indicative of the nation’s complicated nutrition landscape,” he said.
Furthermore, Dr Odotei emphasised the urgent need for a coordinated and multi-stakeholder approach that will stand as a tangible step forward in leveraging the knowledge and dedication of the government, civil society, academia, and private sector, stating that the Nourish Ghana initiative “is a timely and strategic response to our nations pressing nutrition challenges.”
He reaffirmed NDPC’s commitment to supporting laws that guarantee more funding, leadership, and transparent accountability in nutrition programmes.
Scaling up Nutrition (SUN), nutritionist, Mrs Wilhelmina Okwabi, lamented that some pregnant women do not eat healthily, which has an impact on their unborn children because a mother who is undernourished gives birth to a child who is also undernourished.
In order to address the problem of malnutrition, she suggested that CSOs must educate women in their communities.
Professor Richmond Nii Okai Aryeetey, Director of the Food and Nutrition Intelligent System (FANIS), at the University of Ghana, said it is critical to update existing work on nutrition rather than repeat it.
He recommended that the private sector take a proactive role in the fight against malnutrition.
By Georgina Quaittoo
Ahyiresu and Abofrem, two quiet communities in the Atwima Mponua District, have been shaken to the core by a chilling midnight drama that reads like a nightmare.
A pastor and a young mother stand accused of attempting to bury a five‑month‑old baby girl alive, a crime that has ignited outrage and disbelief across the township.
According to police, Apostle Richmond Akwasi Frimpong, 36, Head Pastor of the Anointed Grace Prayer Ministry at Kuffour Camp, conspired with his uncle Emmanuel Appiah, 53, and the child’s mother, 23‑year‑old Beatrice Agyapomaa, to dispose of the infant, Anaya Achiaa, under the cover of darkness.
A fourth suspect, Emmanuel Donkor, remains on the run.
The suspects were caught near a refuse dump around 10 pm on April 9, 2026, after a vigilant resident, Akwasi Twezor, noticed their suspicious movements.
When confronted, they claimed the child was already dead and had palace approval for burial. But Twezor’s instincts proved right—the baby was still alive, gasping faintly for breath.
Chief Linguist, Nana Yaw Badu, later confirmed that Frimpong had misled him earlier in the evening, securing permission for burial by falsely declaring the child dead.
The infant was rushed to the Abofrem Clinic, where she is now responding well to treatment. Police described her as “very beautiful.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evelyn Yitamkey, Commander of DOVVSU in Bibiani, confirmed that the suspects have been provisionally charged.
Frimpong faces attempted murder and conspiracy charges, while Agyapomaa and Appiah are charged with conspiracy and abetment.
They were remanded by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by Judge Frank Asiedu Nimako, to assist investigations.
The docket has been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Department for advice, ASP Yitamkey indicated.
The attempted crime has provoked fury among residents, many suspecting ritual motives aimed at bolstering the pastor’s influence.
Crowds attempted to attack the suspects outside court, but police intervention prevented mob justice.
The Assembly Member for Ahyiresu, Yusuf Suleiman, has assured residents that justice will be pursued swiftly.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The forecourt of the African University of Communications and Business (AUCB) in Accra came alive on Friday with colour, creativity and innovation, as Level 300 students transformed the space into a lively exhibition of ideas.
Under the theme “Building meaningful brands beyond the logo,” the students invited patrons into a world where ordinary products were reimagined through storytelling, design and purpose.
From scented candles to innovative food concepts, each stand told a unique story, one that went beyond aesthetics to capture identity, value and human connection.
For many of the students, the event was more than just an academic exercise; it was a moment to dream out loud.
Guided by their lecturer, Peter Wonders, they explored what it truly means to build a brand in today’s competitive world where trust, consistency and experience matter just as much as logos and slogans.
Chairman of the occasion, Nana Kum Gyata VI, in his remarks said a brand is what people say about you when you are not present.
At the end of the presentations, awards were presented to deserving groups with Vida Nyaneba emerging as the overall best branding student.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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