Ejisu Sec Tech Showcases Local Recipies In Nutrition Campaign

A two-day nutrition campaign has been organized by the Ghana Education Service (GES) in collaboration with the World Food Programme at Ejisu Senior High Technical School under the special initiative of the School Health Education Programme (SHEP).

It was under the theme, “Back to School Nutrition Campaign”.

The programme aimed to encourage the use of local food ingredients and promote the preparation of local dishes in our everyday lives.

Some Home Economics students of Ejisu Senior High Technical School were tasked with preparing food using local ingredients, including parboiled rice in their main dishes, snacks, desserts, and accompaniments.

The final outcome was overwhelming, impressing dignitaries from GES, World Food Programme Organizers, and various other sectors.

In an exclusive interview with the National SHEP Director, Theresa Oppong-Mensah, she emphasized that,”It will be very beneficial to return to our old ways of preparing food because some of the spices and modernized ways of cooking do more harm than good.”

“Therefore, we must try our best to revert to our old ways of cooking with local ingredients to avoid diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, and many others.”

The headmistress of Ejisu Senior High Technical School, Ms. Grace Asamani, also emphasized the importance of students avoiding laziness in cooking at home. She highlighted the harmful effects of buying junk foods and fast foods.

The cooking competitors amazingly prepared a variety of dishes and drinks like Parboiled Unpolished Jollof, Vegetable Beef Rice, Millet and Rice Shortbread, Fruit Pizza, Parboiled Horchata Rice Drink, Rice Chocolate Drink, Coconut Rice and Chocolate Rice Pudding.

In an interview with the winning team of the cooking competition, their leader, Agyeiwaa Evelyn, expressed how they utilized various traditional cooking methods to prepare their foods.

She also urged the government to incorporate some of these dishes into the school’s dining hall menu.

Ghana’s Dancing teacher Mr. Percy Jackson, who was one of the special guests, also added that, “Every student shouldn’t take their talent for granted but must nurture his or her talent to reduce unemployment in Africa.”

Story by Agbley Oteng Emmanuel (Wofa Emma Jnr)