An epidemic is looming at Nsawam, a popular bread producing town on the Accra-Kumasi road as most bread producers there have reportedly refused as required to cover their bread with polythene bags before sale. The sellers claim that buyers prefer the uncovered loaves to those covered since there is the perception that the uncovered ones are fresh from the bakery. A recent survey undertaken by the Akuapem South District Assembly confirmed that perception. Christopher K. Asubonteng, the District Environmental Officer said the practice puts buyers at risk of all manner of health hazards. Mr Asubonteng, who revealed this at a sanitation policy dialogue in Accra on Monday, said that in the survey, 280 out of 345 traders interviewed said they preferred selling uncovered loaves because of the perception of the buyers. In addition to the bread issue, fried yam sellers also add colouring to the yam, saying it makes the food attractive. “The colour makes the yam look like that kind of yam (pona) that is considered superior quality,” he said. Mr Asubonteng said the assembly has warned the food producers and vendors against such unhealthy practices since they are in contravention of bye laws on public food production. However, he said many of them have not been cooperative and are still selling the uncovered loaves and coloured fried yam. He warned that the assembly was in the process of forming a sanitation task force to monitor and arrest producers who failed to abide by the bye laws. The sanitation policy dialogue organised by the Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development and Environment and the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation was to create a platform for stakeholders to discuss effective ways of managing sanitation and environment challenges in the country. It is part of activities preceding the sixth National Sanitation Week which has the theme, “Clean environment and healthy people”. Mohammed Amin Anta, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive in his presentation noted that any action plan on sanitation requiredle”. Mohammed Amin Anta, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive in his presentation noted that any action plan on sanitation required a lot of political will for effective implementation since that area posed a huge challenge to socio-economic development. He also called for preventive guidelines on sanitation to guard against health risk in communities, adding that there was the need for assemblies to strengthen their environmental and health units to have the capacity. Source: The Ghanaian Times