The Director of AfriCAN and internationally certified nutritionist, Prof. Francis B. Zottor, has challenged journalists in the Volta and Oti Regions to become key partners in driving Ghana’s nutrition agenda by using their platforms to reshape public understanding of nutrition.

Speaking at a training session organised for media professionals under the Nkabom Collaboration, Prof. Zottor described the initiative as a “game-changer,” uniting education, research, and innovation to tackle malnutrition and open up career opportunities for young professionals.

“Let down your head, relax, and forget where you’re coming from. Leave here with the knowledge that will change everything about you,” he said in an encouraging address to the journalists.
Ghana Chosen for Integrity

Prof. Zottor revealed that while the pilot nutrition research project initially considered Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa, Ghana was ultimately selected for its track record of integrity and hard work.

“They said Ghanaians are honest, diligent, and will give the right results. That’s why the study began right here in February – and in no other place than with you,” he emphasised.

The partnership, spearheaded by the MasterCard Foundation and involving institutions like UHAS, KNUST, the University of Ghana, COVET Technical University, and AGI, has already secured close to $10 million to train future experts in clinical epidemiology, maternal nutrition, reproductive health, and monitoring and evaluation.

From Classroom to Community Impact

Prof. Zottor stressed the need to shift from producing unemployed graduates to nurturing job creators.
“We’re tired of training students who finish school only to join the unemployment queue. We want to empower them to become entrepreneurs,” he said.

He cited examples of transformation, such as Delali, a freelance nutritionist working with top universities, and Selorm, an entrepreneur pursuing a PhD while making a difference at the grassroots.

“These are the kinds of students the Nkabom collaboration is developing – system-ready and solution-driven,” Prof. Zottor said.

A 10-Year, $100M Vision

The Nkabom collaboration is a 10-year initiative that will channel over $100 million into fighting malnutrition across Africa, with Ghana serving as a key hub. “We can’t collect this money and sit in glass houses. We need the media to understand how to report nutrition issues so that the public is informed and involved,” he told participants.

Prof. Zottor was clear that the funding must serve the people by building sustainable systems and solving real-world challenges in food security, health, and livelihoods.

Journalists as Change Agents

Calling the media “critical change agents,” Prof. Zottor encouraged journalists to take ownership of the national nutrition narrative. “You cannot just live to eat. You must eat to live – and live to empower others with what you know,” he added.

Looking Ahead

The training is part of a broader agenda to develop regional centres of excellence in nutrition and health sciences, deepening collaboration between academia, industry, and the media.

“This collaboration has come to stay. Let’s work together to make the Volta and Oti Regions the beacon of nutrition excellence in Africa,” Prof. Zottor concluded.