?Waakye? - Dangerous Food

Waakye, the popular Ghanaian food made from rice and beans, has been found to be contaminated with lead, a heavy metal cadmium and a pesticide called chloropyrifos, says Professor Kwadwo Asenso-Kyere, outgoing Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, quoting a recent study of samples of the food in Accra.

He said lead inhibits the learning ability of children while chloropyrifos when taken in high doses could cause dizziness. In low doses it could also cause confusion or other fatalities, according to a report by Tim Donaldson in 2004.

Prof. Asenso-Okyere made this known when he delivered his inaugural lecture at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in Accra on Thursday. He was recently admitted as a fellow of the academy. He noted that cadmium, a poisonous chemical element that is used in batteries and nuclear reactors, could cause kidney failure and urged the authorities to improve vendor access to safe tools and equipment, clean water, proper disposal of sewage and regular refuse collection.

He noted that the growing popularity of processed street foods, particularly for the urban poor was a major source of concern as only a few vendors had been trained in basic hygiene practices. Touching on the country?s low labour productivity level, he said that annual leave tends to be too long in Ghana.

?Whereas in many developed countries, annual leave may be two of four weeks, it could be as long as nine weeks in Ghana,? he said, adding that such long holidays contribute to the low productivity levels. ?Some people are the last to report for work but the first to leave to work,? he said, describing them as the ?last in, first out? people. ?Some people idle at work even when there is so much to do.

A lot of productive time is lost to funerals and social celebrations. Some people leave the work place on Friday for funerals and do not return until Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning,? he said.

Prof. Asenso-Okyere noted that in communities where upon the death of a person, there is the celebration of one-week anniversary, burial, funeral activities, 40th day and one-year anniversaries, ?family members and friends leave their work and travel long distances to attend these anniversaries.? He said that if the country?s current development goal is to raise per capita income to 1,000 dollars by 2015, then all Ghanaians should work hard to expand the economy so that wages can go up.