In an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency, Reverend Prince Baidoo, President of GAND, highlighted the pressing need for this reform.
“Whether you buy waakye in Accra or kenkey in Kumasi, the portion you receive varies widely from vendor to vendor.

This inconsistency, driven by individual preparation habits, makes it difficult for consumers to manage intake and follow nutritional guidance,” he said.
To tackle this, the President said GAND is developing clear national standards that will define specific portion sizes for vendors.

“We are creating a standardization framework that will guide how kenkey is moulded and how waakye is served, categorizing them into clear small, medium, and large portions.” Reverend Baidoo said.
He noted that the goal is to translate dietary advice into practical and everyday understanding.

“This will help us communicate clearly that, for example, one standardized portion may be appropriate, while three may exceed healthy limits,” he added.

Professor Kingsley Pereko, Project Coordinator for GAND, emphasised that many beloved local foods were processed with considerable oil, salt, and sugar.
Unregulated portions combined with such cooking methods, he noted, contributed significantly to growing public health issues, including obesity and non-communicable diseases.

Professor Pereko noted that the standardisation would include building a detailed nutrient profiling system and food composition database.
“This effort is part of a broader mission to sanitize our food environment extending consumer awareness and oversight from packaged foods to the heart of Ghana’s food culture locally prepared meals like waakye and kenkey,” he said.

He said the initiative aims to foster healthier eating habits across the entire Ghanaian food landscape.