Street foods provide a convenient diet for many people in developing countries with the consumption supporting the livelihood of several individuals. However, street food safety is a major global concern due to poor food handling and insanitary conditions that often lead to coliform bacteria contamination resulting in the outbreak of foodborne diseases. This paper analyses the microbial content of food served by food vendors in the Bolgatanga Municipality of Ghana, which has recorded high levels of foodborne diseases. Using a mixed research approach, and a cross-sectional design, a total of 150 food vendors were sampled from 10 communities within the Municipality. Food samples from the vendors were taken and subjected to microbial load analysis. Out of the 66 food samples tested, 42.4 percent recorded the presence of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) with only six recording the presence of S. typhi (S. typhi). All the samples that were isolated for Escherichia coli (E. coli) had microbial loading of 1 and above, with the lowest recorded to be 1.6 ± 0.6 log CFU/g. The highest contamination by E. coli was in the samples of tomato sauce, followed by samples of rice balls and then by groundnut soup. The high microbial quality of the street foods sampled suggests that the safety of food vendors’ food handling practices was largely compromised and so most of the foods were contaminated above acceptable levels for consumption. The study recommends that food vendors should be educated on proper personal hygiene and to avoid making direct skin contact with food.

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Reforms in the energy sector are expected to bring about essential efciency gains, which could result in energy diversifcation and welfare improvements among households. However, there are other unintended social and environmental consequences associated with the process. One signifcant social concern is the likely impact on how low-income families access new energy. The study used a cross-sectional design to undertake a comparative analysis of domestic energy choices. Data was collected from 405 households’ decision makers. An interview schedule and a guide were used for the data collection. The results showed that modern fuels are by far the most predominant source of energy for high and medium class residential households in Kumasi. However, residents in low-class areas preferred to use biomass fuel as their primary energy choice. Contextual variations revealed that general factors such as afordability and accessibility of energy source were exogenous determinants of energy choice. The fndings of the study also lend support to the energy ladder hypothesis that household income is a signifcant determinant of household energy choice. Further, social and demographic factors are critical determinants of cooking fuel type in residential zones. The study recommends the promotion of modern fuels through developing dependable energy distribution systems, and public education campaigns by the Energy Commission of Ghana.

In Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions, there has been very little systematic attempt to document the uses and perceived health benefits of urban green spaces in cities and the factors influencing usage. We therefore sought to establish the availability, accessibility and use of urban green spaces, and the perceived health benefits in an African population. We also ascertained the factors influencing use and development of green spaces at home. A population-based survey was conducted in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, spanning 11 Municipal and 3 Sub-Metropolitan areas. Multivariable binary logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders was used to establish the association between green space use and development at home, and socio-demographic, neighbourhood and health factors. Odds ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated from the models. Several socio-demographic (gender, age, marital status, occupation, ethnicity, religion) and district-level (population density, income level, neighbourhood greenness) factors were associated with use of green spaces and development of green spaces at home in Accra. Residents who were worried about depletion of green spaces in their community were more likely to develop green spaces at home. In neighbourhoods with moderate and high level of greenness, residents were less likely to develop green spaces at home. Five-percent and 47% of green space users in Accra reported witnessing an improvement in their physical and mental health, respectively, from use of green spaces. The study findings can inform policy action for promoting use and development of green spaces in African cities and for mitigating depletion and degradation of the limited urban greenery.

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