Are African germs truly not harmful?

Life in Accra can be really exciting sometimes. If you challenge my assertion go to the hotspots, the CKs, AMs, OS and the likes. Wondering what these acronyms mean? Citizen Kofi, Accra Mall, and Oxford Street! However, we would be talking about a different experience in some other parts of town.

It was one bright day in the capital and I decided to get some ingredients for the good old Banku and Smoked fish with pepper! My trip to one of the busiest markets in Accra started off as an interesting one till I approached the Tilapia seller at the fish market.

Before I could ask of the price of that gigantic Tilapia, my cousin Akua drew my attention to the China Tilapia saga. “Sister, are you sure this Tilapia is safe for consumption? I don’t want any China Tilapia oh” Akua blurted out! After a lengthy discussion which no doubt infuriated the plump Tilapia Seller who had obviously become fed up with our hygiene lessons, we decided to settle for a different specie in the fish family.

As the fish monger, begun to prepare the fish, giant houseflies descended on the poor fish in rapid succession. Not even my persistent protests seemed to move the homely woman who was busily at work to ward off the flies. She finally smiled and asked if I was new at the market. “Madam African germs don’t kill” was the next statement she made amidst smiles! Out of compulsion we paid for the fish and made way for the Corn and cassava dough stand. Well at least, we would wash the fish very well and fry it; the oil will kill the germs dumped into the fish by those vicious large flies. Who could blame us? It was the middle of the month and all eyes were on pay day! How could we afford to over spend?

Before we could make way for the corn dough stand, two gentlemen carting over twenty sacks of dough on a visibly shaken wooden cart announced their presence with shoves, intimidation, and noise. We found out later that they were delivering the dough we were so much in a hurry to buy. It was when they begun offloading the goods that the picture above was taken! We identified a sheer disregard for rules on hygienic packaging and storage!

In their bid to rearrange the old stock such that the ‘new’ dough was beneath the pile, these two gentlemen unearthed a horror! The sacks were so thin that they had developed large holes which exposed the dough to the dirt from the market pavements [storage space]. In fact the old stock had spilled over on the slabs of the pavements but these were quickly tucked in! Not to mention the vulnerability of these sacks and their contents to rodent and insect attacks at night due to the sheer filth generated in the market after a business day!

More horrifying was the way, an attendant offloaded the contents in one of the old sacks into a huge receptacle. Apparently to knead the contents into a manageable dough to be sold to us! If Ussain Bolt had been present, he would have marvelled at the speed with which we disappeared into thin air!

How could we eat our banku without dough? We decided to make way for the popular kenkey joint on our way home. Our experience at the kenkey house indicated that the African germ won’t leave us alone! The seller had a toddler who had a running nose, and had suddenly decided to attend to natures call when we arrived.

Our maternal instincts allowed us to wait patiently for the seller to attend to her son. With an eagle’s eye, we monitored her cleaning routine. Surprisingly she only scooped some water from the main water tank and scantily washed her hands [No soap]! She immediately headed for our direction with the intention of serving us hot kenkey with her contaminated hands amidst smiles and verbal apologies for keeping us waiting!

As usual, we had to run for our lives! To sum it all up, we drank a beverage that night and went to bed after those horrifying encounters! How can we spend our little income on food that can send us straight into the Consulting room?

That night I couldn’t help but wonder; what are we really eating? Who regulates hygiene in our markets? How can the consumer be guaranteed of food safety at all food joints?

If I may ask, are African germs really not harmful?

By: Aba Ghana Email: [email protected]