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
The Ghana Police Service has begun automated enforcement of road traffic laws under a new system dubbed Traffitech-GH.
In a statement signed by the Director-General of Public Affairs, Deputy Commissioner of Police Grace Ansah-Akrofi, the Service said the project officially took effect on November 1, 2026.
The system is being implemented by the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD).
Under the initiative, motorists who commit traffic offences will receive an Electronic Notice of Violation (ENV).
The Police said motorists must first check that the notification comes from the official Sender ID, GPS-MTTD, adding that genuine notifications will not be sent from an ordinary mobile phone number.
Motorists are to open the ENV to confirm the vehicle’s photograph and number plate, as well as the location, date and time of the offence, and watch the video where available.
According to the police, payments can be made through the NIB Payment Portal.
The Police cautioned motorists and vehicle owners to remain vigilant against fraud and never pay a traffic fine into a personal mobile money number or through any unofficial account.
The Service expressed appreciation to the general public, particularly motorists, vehicle owners and transport operators, for their cooperation in promoting safer roads and ensuring compliance with road traffic laws.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Miracles Aboagye, has taken a swipe at the government over the worsening cost of living in the country.
In a strongly worded statement, Aboagye said while the cost of living continues to skyrocket, the government keeps pointing Ghanaians to figures on paper.
According to him, the reality on the ground tells a different story:
Cocoa farmers have suffered a haircut, tertiary students are demonstrating over high fees and accommodation, teachers and nurses are striking over unpaid allowances, and judiciary workers are also on strike over unpaid allowances.
He added that transport fares, electricity, water, and fuel prices are all higher than before, making life unbearable for the ordinary Ghanaian.
“The cost of living and the pocket of the Ghanaian citizen keeps worsening but government says, don’t cry about the pocket when the paper looks good,” Aboagye said.
He summed up his criticism with the hashtags #PaperEconomyPocketDry and #PaperEconomyVsPocketEconomy — a direct jab at what he describes as a disconnect between official economic figures and the daily struggles of Ghanaians.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
