The National Strategic Plan for Heavy Metals Reduction in Food (2026–2030) has been launched, with the five-year framework aimed at reducing exposure to harmful contaminants in food and strengthening food safety to support public health, productivity and national development.
The Plan seeks to address the risks posed by heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic in the food system, which can result from environmental contamination, agricultural practices, processing and packaging, with children and pregnant women particularly vulnerable to their effects.
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Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Minister for Health, Prof. Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, described food safety as a foundation of national development, noting that safer food would protect public health, strengthen consumer confidence, support the food industry and enhance the competitiveness of Ghanaian products.
She said the Plan provides a coordinated framework to strengthen regulation, surveillance, laboratory capacity, industry compliance, research and public awareness, and called for effective coordination and accountability among food safety institutions.
The Deputy Minister commended UNICEF for its technical and financial support and called on stakeholders to support implementation.
The Deputy Chief Executive of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Mr. Roderick Daddey-Adjei, said the Plan was developed through extensive consultations and noted that the FDA, with UNICEF support, had generated evidence on heavy-metal contamination in selected food products.
The launch brought together stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, FDA, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Standards Authority, Minerals Commission, UNICEF, academia, industry, civil society and other partners to support implementation of the Plan and promote safer food and healthier communities.
