Kumasi Mayor Announces Salt Reduction Policy to Tackle Rising Hypertension
From Ernest Best Anane, Kumasi
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has passed a resolution banning the open display of salt in all food establishments across the city, aiming to reduce excessive salt consumption and curb rising hypertension rates.
Mayor Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi emphasized that the policy is a practical step to protect residents’ health, citing hypertension’s impact on families and productive lives.
The resolution follows a 2025 study showing 62% of food establishments openly display salt, enabling customers to add extra salt to meals. Ghana’s noncommunicable diseases policy estimates hypertension prevalence of up to 34% in urban populations, with some areas reaching 37.4%.
Implementation begins this year, including public education campaigns and integration into environmental health inspections.
The initiative is supported by the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network tackling preventable diseases.
