Communication Team Members of the New Vision Movement and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Emmanuel G. Semordzi and Mawuli Kpogli, have raised concerns over food safety practices in Ghana, warning that weak enforcement of regulations could be contributing to the rise in serious health conditions.
Speaking on ATV’s Anopa Bosuo, the two communicators lamented what they described as a lack of urgency by state institutions responsible for monitoring food safety in the country. According to them, inadequate inspections, poor hygiene practices and the use of potentially harmful substances in food production and preservation pose significant public health risks.
Their concerns come in the wake of comments by Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who disclosed that nearly four million Ghanaians are battling chronic kidney disease, raising alarm about the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in the country.
Health experts have long warned that food contamination, excessive salt intake, chemicals used in food preservation, and the consumption of poorly processed foods could increase the risk of conditions such as kidney disease, hypertension and other chronic illnesses. According to the World Health Organization, unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances causes more than 600 million cases of foodborne diseases globally every year, leading to an estimated 420,000 deaths.
In Ghana, food safety oversight is shared among several agencies including the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), the Ghana Health Service, and local government authorities responsible for environmental health inspections. However, critics argue that enforcement challenges, limited resources and poor compliance by some food vendors continue to undermine efforts to protect consumers.
Semordzi and Kpogli therefore called for stronger monitoring systems, public education and stricter sanctions against individuals and businesses that compromise food safety standards. They stressed that protecting public health requires coordinated action among regulatory bodies, food producers and consumers.
The issue of food safety has increasingly become a national concern as Ghana continues to grapple with rising cases of non-communicable diseases, which health officials say are placing growing pressure on the country’s healthcare system.
