Editorial
Take immediate action to end malnutrition
a development crisis and a public concern that requires immediate attention.
This is because hunger affects birth outcomes, maternal health, and child survival given that deficits in particular micronutrients pose a serious health burden and play a major role in childhood morbidity and death,
It is unfortunate that regional inequities and inadequate government funding for nutrition programmes still persist, despite continuous efforts to address the issue of malnutrition.
According to recent statistics from the 2022 Ghana Demographic Health Survey (GDHS) 18 percent of children under five are stunted, six percent are wasted, and 12 percent are underweight. Nearly half of these children also suffer from anaemia.
The statistics show that we must act immediately to prevent jeopardising the productivity and well-being of future generations.
These figures were revealed at a stakeholder engagement on malnutrition in Ghana which was organised by the Women, Media and Change (WOMEC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) committed to empowering women and advancing gender equality in partnership with the Coalition of Public Health Actors (CAPHA).
The event 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 project’s goal is to increase public awareness of Ghana’s urgent malnutrition problem and its effects on development and health.
It established a forum for discussion aimed at bolstering national policy action on nutrition by promoting greater leadership, funding, and accountability, and particularly incorporating the media in the conversation.
In her statement, Mrs. Charity Binka, the executive director of WOMEC, stated that malnutrition costs Ghana roughly 6.4 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually and that, despite pledges, they are insufficient because the country continues to struggle with malnutrition.
With an emphasis on improving outcomes for women and children, WOMEC hopes the Nourish Ghana Project will address the ongoing problem of malnutrition and promote greater leadership, dedication, creativity, and investment in nutrition programmes.
It is also anticipated that the project will collaborate with lawmakers, policymakers, civil society organisations (CSOs), the media, and local stakeholders to promote long-lasting policy changes and boost funding for nutrition programmes through strategic advocacy, public awareness, and multi-sectoral engagement.
Dear Editor
I wish to draw attention to the increasing number of children begging for alms on the streets of the capital.
This has become a common sight at traffic lights, markets and busy intersections.
Many of these children should be in school, but instead they spend long hours under the hot sun and in dangerous traffic.
Sadly, they are sometimes found in the company of their parents, the same people expected to ensure that these minors spend those hours in school.
These children are usually exposed to accidents, exploitation and abuse. The situation does not only affects their future but also reflects poorly on our society.
I appeal to parents and guardians to take greater responsibility for their children.
I also urge the government, the Department of Social Welfare and other relevant agencies to intensify efforts to rescue these children, provide them with education and support their families where necessary.
I also wish to employ the ‘Samaritans’ who gives money to these children to also spend a few seconds to ask these children why they beg for alms on the street and not going to school.
Getting these children off the street must now be seen as a shared responsibility.
Every child deserves a safe home, quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full potential. By working together, we can reduce street begging and give these children a brighter future.
From Eugene Ampiaw,
Dansoman
In addition to the severe flooding that Accra is already experiencing a major sanitation crisis is imminent as the Kpone dump approaches closure.
Currently, there are now just two significant disposal sites in the area: the Adepa dumpsite in the Ga West Municipal Assembly, which is close to Amasaman, and the Kpone Waste Landfill.
Inquiries so far, revealed that the Kpone site is almost at capacity and will likely close in the next six months. As a result, waste is accumulating at local markets and municipal collection points throughout the capital.
The situation has been made worse by the recent terrible floods, and immediate action is required to prevent the impending crisis.
The fundamental issue is that accumulating uncollected waste during rainy seasons poses significant threats to public health, including the possibility of cholera, typhoid, and malaria outbreaks.
Subsequent investigations showed that the Kpone plant, which was initially built to manage 500 tonnes of waste per day, has been handling almost twice that much, shortening its lifespan.
Many towns’ waste collection operations have been badly impacted by this looming shutdown, and the fact that Accra has few disposal choices is even more disturbing.
Now, waste collection vehicles face abnormally long queues at the Kpone site, and residents complain that most of the tricycles, referred to as “Aboboyaa,” leave rubbish uncollected in residential and commercial areas.
Although the Zoompak waste transfer station was authorised by the government to reopen in order to help manage daily waste volumes, it is still unable to handle the enormous volumes of waste generated every day.
According to Dr. Peter Kwesi Dagadu, Managing Director of the Landfills Company Limited, managing the capital’s expanding waste burden has become extremely difficult due to the scarcity of disposal facilities, especially in light of the city’s fast population increase and rising waste production.
As a result, the situation has put a great deal of strain on the infrastructure already in place and jeopardizes attempts to keep Accra’s waste management system sustainable and effective.
The Spectator agrees with him that new infrastructure for disposing of waste is desperately needed, as a change to a more environmentally friendly waste management techniques.
It is admirable that he suggests Ghana adopt recycling and garbage recovery as a long-term solution to the nation’s sanitation problems.
We therefore, implore the government to support this recycling objective by enacting strict laws, regulations, investments, and enforcement measures to enhance waste management nationwide.
In order to address the waste problem as quickly as possible, everyone must be involved, including private waste management companies, individuals, and households.
