Water shortage: Expert calls for active implementation of National Water Policy

Water Resources Expert, Dr Osman Alhassan, says the threat of water scarcity, due to climate change and the pollution water bodies, calls for a water harvesting culture. “We need to do a lot concerning water harvesting and I think it was about time we made efforts to separate water use categories where for example we can begin with good water harvesting at the community level and district level and we could use that water for other things than household and drinking,” he said. Commenting on the Ghana Water Company’s plan to soon begin rationing water supply due to the dry season, Dr Alhassan said although some homes already harvest water, there was a need to for national approach, complemented by modern technology and by-laws. Communications Director of the Ghana Water Company, Stanley Mantey, recently said the rate of evaporation of water…

Lagos moves to curb food, water contamination in eateries, hotels

By Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government has moved to curb food and water contamination in eateries, restaurants and hotels across the state, charging stakeholders to embrace the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, HACCP, certification. HACCP is a management system that gives a systematic preventive approach to Food Safety, from biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product, through identifying where hazards may occur and design measures to reduce this risks to a safe level by putting in place stringent actions, strictly monitoring and controlling each process. Speaking at the sensitization meeting for food/water/beverage handling establishments on Thursday in Alausa, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Healthcare, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga lamented that food safety had become a major concern to the food industry given that the consumption of contaminated food and water contributed to a myriad of health problems in the World. “In 2005, 1.8 million people died of gastroenteritis caused by contaminated food and water (WHO, 2007). In spite of the technological progress in food production and control, the occurrence of these diseases has recently increased, even in developed countries. “Food and water prepared, served at the restaurants, eateries, hotels and those processed in factories may look clean and taste delicious, but may have been contaminated by biological, chemical or physical hazards during…