The Hospitality Alliance of Ghana (HAG) has taken a major step in safeguarding public health and sustaining small businesses by organising a two-day Street Vendor Sensitisation on Food Safety and Hygiene Programme in Madina, Accra. The training, held on 28 – 29 August, brought together dozens of street food vendors for a mix of knowledge-sharing sessions and hands-on demonstrations by members HAG and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) aimed at improving the way food is prepared, packaged, and sold on the streets.
The initiative focused on equipping vendors with practical skills to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses while also boosting customer trust and business sustainability.
Day One: Awareness and Knowledge Sharing
The first day of the programme was hosted in a hotel setting, where participants registered and received training materials before engaging in group brainstorming sessions. Trainers took vendors through key aspects of food safety, including:
- Personal hygiene for food handlers, such as hand washing and clean clothing.
- Safe food storage and maintaining correct temperatures.
- Avoiding cross-contamination during preparation and serving.
- Understanding Ghana’s food safety regulations, referencing the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Public Health Act.
Participants also enjoyed snacks and lunch that were prepared and served under strict hygienic conditions, reinforcing the very standards being taught. As one key message highlighted, “Food safety starts with awareness — vendors are learning why clean hands, utensils, and surroundings save lives.”
Day Two: Practical Training on the Streets
The second day took the lessons out of the classroom and onto the streets of Madina. Vendors practised hygienic food packaging with clean wrapping materials, proper labelling for freshness, and safe storage. They also set up tidy, covered stalls to demonstrate how street food can be presented professionally.
Practical demonstrations also included customer interactions, with an emphasis on maintaining hygiene while selling. The use of mobile payment options was encouraged as a way to reduce risks linked to cash handling.
Residents of Madina were quick to welcome the freshly packaged, safely prepared snacks. The day underscored the programme’s key message: “From kitchen to customer — every step counts in keeping street food safe.”
Protecting Customers and Livelihoods
Speaking at the event, Chef Joe Wilson Tetteh, President of the Hospitality Alliance of Ghana, stressed the dual importance of health and livelihoods.
“The programme was organised by the Hospitality Alliance of Ghana; a group that has come together to give back to society. This particular event is an advocacy for hygienic street food. What we did was to sensitise food handlers on food safety, especially street vendors. This street vendor programme is more than a training; what we did is to protect both customers and livelihoods.”
He explained that the majority of Ghanaians consume street food daily, making safety a public priority:
“If these street foods are produced hygienically, then we know that we are assured of our health and we are assured that those businesses are sustained. When food is handled safely, people trust the provider, keep coming back and even recommend to others. The vendors here have learned simple and practical ways to keep food clean, avoid contamination and package it attractively. It is not about spending more money to modify the service, it’s about working smarter, staying healthy and keeping their businesses strong.”
A Model for Street Food Safety
By the end of the programme, vendors had not only gained knowledge but also experienced how small, low-cost changes in hygiene practices can make their businesses more attractive and sustainable.
The HAG hopes the success in Madina will inspire more such initiatives across the country, proving that street vending can be clean, professional, and profitable when hygiene is a priority.