Delegates from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), Adeolu Adebiyi, the Senior Regional Advisor in Africa and Esubalew Dadi, the Legal Advisor paid a working visit to Ghana from the 23rd -30th August. The purpose of the visit was to interact with the coalition (School of Public Health University of Ghana and the Civil Society Organization; Ghana NCD Alliance, Ghana Public Health Association and Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) and other key project stakeholders.
The delegation interacted with the project staff and coordinators to get updates on the project proceedings. Presentations were made by each project partner, providing status updates on the project which received valuable inputs from the GHAI team.
Addressing the project partners, the GHAI team commended project partners for the great job done so far. The GHAI delegation and the project coordinators also reviewed the projects workplan and reworked it into a more strategic workplan template, to include new timelines and the capacity building needs that may be needed.
The project partners used the opportunity to express their profound gratitude to the GHAI team on the technical assistance they continue to provide to support some of the project activities. Additionally, the communication plan and advocacy strategy developed by the project partners were reviewed, and this also received valuable inputs to facilitate communication and advocacy activities.
On 26th August, 2022, a virtual webinar hosting a team of lawyers was also organized to disseminate evidence gathered on food-related fiscal policies and legal ways to enact SSBs tax in Ghana. This meeting received presentations from Lawyer Esubalew Dadi, a Legal Advisor with Global Health Advocacy Incubator Washington DC, Prof. Amos Laar, the project lead and senior lecturer at University of Ghana School of Public Health, Lawyer Emmanuel K.B. Ewul and Lawyer Dennis S. Dangbey of Atuguba & Associates, Ghana.
Lawyer Esubalew Dadi presented on the Legal Underpinnings in the Development of an SSB tax and other NCD Prevention and Control Policy Instruments. Lawyer Emmanuel K.B. Ewul and Lawyer Dennis also explained into details the legal pathways for introducing and enacting sugar-sweetened beverage laws in Ghana.
Additionally, the delegation met and interacted with key persons from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) including the CEO, the Head, Food Evaluation and Registration Department (FERD).
At the Ministry of Health (MOH) including the Director, Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME).
At the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), they met with the Ag. Directory of Policy Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME).
