IS YOUR VENDOR AND THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOU PATRONISE YOUR FOOD SAFE?

In 2012, about 2,700 food vendors in Accra were screened for early detection of typhoid, intestinal worms and other diseases to ensure that the vendors prepare food and sell food under hygienic conditions.

Just pay and you will be served, a food joint at Abelempke

The exercise was jointly executed by the Korle-Bu Medical School, the Public Health Department of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and some accredited laboratories.
Vendors who passed the screening exercise were issued with certificates to ensure that people actually patronise their services.

The Environmental Health Technologist of the Accra Metropolitan Public Health Department, Mr Wisdom Aditse in an interview with Accra-based Daily Graphic, said the medical screening was an important measure in checking the spread of diseases from food vendors to their patrons.
Interestingly, the number of food vendors in Accra is unknown.

A plate of rice with beef sauce at Treet Restaurant at Achimota

Mr Aditse told the papaer that the department had intensified its monitoring programme to ensure that people prepared and sold food under hygienic conditions.
Food vendors, no doubt, provide many Ghanaians with affordable meals, but the recent upsurge in cholera cases and the visible signs of unhygienic practices have prompted calls for the AMA to strictly enforce its bye-laws and ensure that Accra residents get value for money.
Last year, at least 17 people have been confirmed dead from cholera, while 640 more people have contracted the disease since the beginning of the year.
Earlier in 2011, over 500 food vendors in Accra were dragged to court for selling food without following due processes.

Dr. Boateng at the AMA at the time said a monitoring team has been put in place to visit the vendors every three days to ensure that they do not violate the ban.
He said many of the food vendors have had their food destroyed for not meeting the standard required by the Metro Health Directorate.

Sanitation offences sent to court are not given the needed attention, and that the delay in the disposal of the cases is discouraging the sanitation officers from pursuing the cases.
Some food vendors within the Tema Metropolis also admitted that Health Inspectors from the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) visit them regularly, to check their health status to know whether or not they are fit to sell.

Juicy fried chicken on dispaly at Lapaz

This leaves us to wonder and check to make sure that we are actually buying from the right places.

They also told Adom News that they all have health reports from recognized hospitals that prove that they are not suffering from any diseases that could make them unfit to sell food to the public.

SITING (LOCATIONS) OF FOOD JOINTS

This blog for the past few weeks has taken cherished readers through the subject matter "Food joints, why people patronise them, its economic importance, and the category of people who patronize them, the services they provide, and an academic study in the activities of vendors/vending.

A patron buying from an Abelemkpe-based eatery

This post will look at where most of these joints are located and the conveniences therein for buyers and sellers alike.

In Accra, most vendors who sell in local areas or neighbourhoods have their customer base right there in those areas.

One seldom buys from a place that is new to them unless it comes highly commended by a colleague.

However, the story is different from eateries and restaurants though people sometimes stick to one.

In highly populated areas like Maamobi, Nima, Kotobabi, Jamestown, Chokor, Lapaz among others residents buy from specific vendors and interestingly, they are known by these vendors.

Food joint by the Alajo main road

The type of meal, the time they [patrons] come to buy their food and even how much they spend are known by vendors.

Foods like Banku, kenkey, Fufu, Plain rice with stew, gari and beans have places where one can visit to get the best.

Some  eateries have their cooking spots just by their locations 

A regular structure for a normal food joint in Accra

For instant, Osu, Jamestown and Chorkor are noted to sell the best kenkey in the capital. This could be attributed to the fact that they are predominantly Ga communities and the fact the dish is a Ga delicacy.

Vendors mostly choose sites that are close to schools, major and busy roads, hospitals, offices and densely populated areas.

It has become evident therefore that it is important to identify your customers first before choosing a location.

Food vending in Accra has become a lucrative business venture and at least a minimum of five (5) can be seen in every corner.