Member of Parliament for the Klottey Korle Constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has pioneered a smokeless oven system at the Osu Night Market.

Having observed with concern the harmful effect of smoke from the traditional ovens on the health of market women and the environment at large, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings and her team decided to undertake the project in fulfilment of a promise she made during the 2016 electioneering campaign to improve the working conditions of traders in the various markets within the constituency.

After extensive research and broad stakeholder consultations, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings engaged Comeph Associates, and with funding from her share of the MPs Common Fund, the team constructed the ovens which produce decreased emissions, compared to the traditional methods employed all over Ghana for smoking various foods. The result is the reduction of carbon footprints from food smoking activities.

During a tour of the Osu Night Market with the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah to inspect the project, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings emphasised on the health and economic benefits of the new smokeless ovens for the market women and customers.

She stated that, “there is an improvement in livelihood from increased profits, as the market women are spending less money on fuel (firewood) resulting from the efficient burning mechanisms of the smokeless oven. The reduced intensity of smoke also means there will be fewer toxins in the foods they prepare with the new ovens.”

With the success of the initial rollout of the smokeless ovens in the Osu Night Market, which marks Phase One of the Pilot, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings and her team look forward to replicate same in other markets within the Klottey Korle constituency, namely Adabraka, Odorna and CMB markets.