By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Wa Municipal Early Childhood Coordinator, Banuoku Nwene Stephen, says the Municipal Education Directorate has banned the sale of ultra-processed foods, such as toffees and fizzy drinks, in basic schools in the Municipality.
He pointed out that the move is aimed at promoting the consumption of indigenous food and its associated benefits.
Mr Banuoku was speaking at the “My Food is African campaign organised by Beverly Hills Academy as part of the Heritage Month in Wa in the Upper West Region.
He added that the health implications of consuming ultra-processed foods like toffees and sugary drinks informed the decision to ban them at the basic education level as a way of catching the children young for them to form good eating habits in relation to local foods/delicacies.
Mr.Banuoku recalled that the event is a follow-up to “My Food is African Campaign” organised by the Centre for Indigenous and Organisational Development (CIKOD) in October 2024.
He commended CIKOD for the initiative to whip up the interest of Ghanaians, especially the younger generation, to consume indigenous foods, which are healthier than the highly processed foods some people are used to.
Mr. Banuoku was hopeful that the schoolchildren would extend the campaign to their various homes for their parents to also move away from the ultra-processed foods and consume local food.
The Proprietress of Beverly Hills Academy, Mrs Pearl Churchill Ken-Arthur expressed appreciation to CIKOD for leading the way with “My Food is African Campaign” to re-conscientise the people to revert to the consumption of our indigenous foods, which are more nutritious.
Mrs Ken-Arthur was hopeful that Ghanaians would stay the course of eating what we grow in order to derive all the advantages associated with the practice.
The Deputy Executive Director of CIKOD, Daniel Banuoku, thanked the management, staff and students of Beverly Hills Academy for using Heritage Month to further deepen the campaign on eating the traditional foods that started last year [2024].
Mr Banuoku underscored the socio-cultural and economic significance of consuming local foods, saying the moment we abandon our local food system, we lose control of our environment and the direction of our progress.
