Reports say, at least 5 persons have died and 40 others hospitalized after consuming waakye from a popular food joint at oyibi on the outskirts of Accra. Among the dead are some regular customers.
The waakye seller herself and her family have also been hospitalized alongside others whose lives are spared, at least up until now. Waakye is a favorite of many Ghanaians, eaten at any time of the day. It is basically a mixture of rice and beans, with the rice browned by sorghum red leaves. It is served with stew.
In 2022, a similar incident happened at Takoradi where patrons of a popular waakye joint had a bad day from sunrise. They all experienced colic pain instantly upon eating the food, were hospitalized, and In some cases with tragic consequences. The food regulatory bodies weighed in with investigations to uncover the root cause of the unfortunate incident yet the outcome of that process was not widely published to guide future behavior.
About a decade or more ago, in the Amanfro area along the stretch to Oyibi, a family was wiped away after consuming some meat. The source of the meat and where it was purchased were unknown at the time the report on the sore tragedy was issued because none of the consumers survived to tell their stories.
The food regulatory bodies of Ghana are challenged by the latest incident of suspected food poisoning to delve into the complicated web of food science, especially those sold for public consumption. It is however known, that the authorities descended heavily on expired goods on the market. They may find some comfort in high-end producers of consumables who follow regulations and subject their wares to rigorous safety tests in certified laboratories before their supply wagons hit the market.
In Ghana, one of the easiest means by which idled hands have been occupied has been to cook food and sell it to the public. That effort meets the needs of the teeming masses, most of whom are too busy with urban life to prepare meals by themselves. This has mushroomed informal food joints that are hard to monitor, thus the observance of standard operating procedures and quality assurance is a doubt. These food vendors have persisted in selling within environmentally poor locations.
Food in decent restaurants is priced out of the means of the ordinary citizens who then resort to wayside food. The trappings associated with restaurants where one has to be seen in splendor are clear disincentives to the average income earner.