News
Poor nutrition leading cause of disease, death
Poor nutrition has become a leading cause of disease and death globally, particularly in low-income countries, with Ghana facing growing challenges in food quality and access.
Professor Anna Lartey, former Director of Nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in Rome, made this known in a keynote address at the launch of the UG Nkabom Seminar Series, Honours Programme, and Mentorship/Internship Programme in Accra.
“In Ghana, we are not eating well, and our diet has now become a source of disease and death for us,” she said.
The event was held under the theme: ‘Empowering Youth for a Sustainable Agri-Food Revolution in Ghana and Beyond.’
The Nkabom Collaborative is a strategic initiative aimed at transforming Ghana’s agri-food system by empowering youth to take up opportunities in the food and nutrition value chain.
She said globally, about 3.1 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet.
In Africa, the figure is nearly 1 billion, while in Ghana, about 65 per cent of the adult population cannot afford a nutritious diet.
Prof. Lartey said the FAO recommends consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
“If every Ghanaian is going to eat five fruits and vegetables a day, our production will not match our consumption.
“We produce too few fruits and vegetables. But it’s not surprising that our food is highly carbohydrate,” she noted.
Prof. Lartey explained that food systems include production, processing, retail, consumption, and disposal, and emphasised the importance of a clean food environment to support a healthy lifestyle.
“So if you live in an area where the foods around you are highly processed foods and junk foods, it is most likely to influence the kinds of foods you will choose,” she said.
Furthermore, Prof. Lartey observed that Ghana’s food systems do not produce enough of the right foods.
“If you take your plate and put food on your plate, about half of it should be fruits and vegetables,” she advised.
She then called for coordinated national efforts to address food system challenges and promote food security.
Prof. Richmond Aryeetey, UG Nkabom Collaborative Lead, said the initiative was designed to equip youth to become the next generation of tech-enabled farmers, agrifood product developers, manufacturers, and agritechpreneurs.
“We work on three programme lines – education programmes in agrifood systems to develop human resources to drive change in Ghana’s food systems.
“These include a PhD programme in sustainable food systems as well as lifelong learning opportunities through tailored short courses that have been co-created with agrifood industry partners,” he noted.
Prof. Aryeetey added that the programme also seeks to expand access to nutrition and agrifood systems for young women, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons.
The third component is entrepreneurship, aimed at supporting youth farmers and food system innovators with mentorship, business incubation, market access, and seed funding.
Mr Piere Brunache, Secretariat Director of the Nkabom Collaborative, said the programme aims to create 55,000 jobs and establish 3,000 Small and Medium Enterprises in the next 10 years.
He urged the youth to seize the opportunity to build skills for employment and contribute to national development. —GNA
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee and the member of parliament for Bolgatanga Central constituency, Isaac Adongo, has defended the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, describing him as the right person to manage the country’s central bank.
According to Mr. Adongo, Ghana would have faced a difficult situation if the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had not won the 2024 elections and Dr. Asiama had not been appointed governor.
Speaking in an interview with Edem Mensah-Tsotorme, Online Editor for ghanaiantimes.com.gh, Mr.Adongo said the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), including Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, only wanted to remain relevant within their party.
“Well, the NPP and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah have a job to do. They want to remain relevant in their party. I don’t begrudge them,” he said.
Mr. Adongo praised President John Dramani Mahama for appointing Dr. Asiama as Governor of the Central Bank after returning to power.
He explained that the President carefully assessed the country’s economic challenges while in opposition and chose Dr. Asiama as the best person for the role.
According to him, the governor has so far shown strong leadership at the central bank.
“I’m not saying this because I work closely with him, but sitting on the board with him, his leadership is on par,” he stated.
The lawmaker further noted that the governor understands the concerns of Ghanaians, especially regarding the rising cost of living and economic pressures.
He said government had already done the “heavy lifting” in stabilizing the economy and would now reassess some of its policies to reduce pressure on public finances.
Mr. Adongo expressed optimism that the country would not witness the same level of government expenditure from 2026 onwards.
“We’ll go back to the drawing board and consider the fiscal implications of some of the actions we have taken. I believe that from 2026, we will not see the same magnitude of expenditures,” he added.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts has clarified that it did not approve or endorse the recent Karnival Kingdom Festival held in Accra.
In a statement issued on May 7, 2026, the ministry said it did not receive any proposal, request for approval or official communication concerning the organisation of the event.
According to the ministry, it was also unaware of the processes through which the festival was allegedly approved to take place in Ghana.
“The Ministry wishes to state unequivocally that it neither endorsed, sanctioned nor authorised the staging of the event,” the statement said.
The clarification follows public criticism and discussions on social media over activities associated with the festival, including the circulation of what many described as culturally unacceptable content.
The ministry acknowledged concerns raised by sections of the public and various stakeholders regarding the conduct and nature of the event.
It explained that as the supervisory institution for the tourism, culture and creative arts sector, it expects all organisers of public festivals and entertainment events to follow established regulatory procedures and engage the relevant state institutions before holding such activities.
The ministry therefore urged organisers of tourism, cultural, entertainment and recreational events to obtain the necessary approvals before staging programmes in the country.
According to the statement, the ministry remains committed to promoting tourism and cultural activities that respect Ghana’s laws, values and cultural identity.
It added that the country’s reputation as a safe and culturally respectful destination must be protected at all times.
By: Jacob Aggrey
