Accra: Engineer and analyst, Michael Kosi Dedey, has warned that Ghana's food chain is becoming increasingly toxic due to weak enforcement by regulatory agencies, saying the country risks spending more on treating diseases than preventing them.
According to Ghana Web, Dedey spoke on ChannelOne TV's Breakfast Daily on July 29, 2026, where he criticized the institutions responsible for ensuring food safety, such as the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), district assemblies, and environmental health authorities, for their failure to effectively monitor food production practices. "Our food chain is becoming toxic, and if we don't fix it, we'll keep building more hospitals instead of preventing disease," he indicated.
Dedey raised concerns about the quality of water used in growing vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and green peppers, suggesting that pollution from illegal mining and poor agricultural practices is contaminating the nation's food supply. He also highlighted the alleged misuse of herbicides on vegetables, claiming that some farmers apply chemicals meant for cocoa farms, which take longer to break down and may leave harmful residues on produce consumed by the public.
He attributed the weak enforcement of food safety regulations to inadequate resources and years of poor leadership, which may have weakened the FDA's capacity. Dedey emphasized that food safety should be viewed as a key public health issue, warning that failing to protect the food chain would increase the burden on Ghana's healthcare system.
Additionally, Dedey called for better spatial planning, warning that the ongoing conversion of agricultural land into housing estates poses a threat to food production, as well as the country's long-term health and food security.