The overall purpose of the campaign was to help educate consumers and the public with messages that will break the myth surrounding cholesterol associated to eggs and drum home the amazing health benefits of eggs.

The campaign is being facilitated and supported by Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) , Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF), Ministry of Trade and Industry-Made in Ghana Campaign, Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Services, Ministry of Education, Traditional Caterers Association, Indigenous Caterers Association of Ghana and the Egg Sellers Association of Ghana.

Speaking at the launch in Accra, Mr Kwamina Arkorful, the Director Animal Production, MOFA, said the America Soybean Association’s world initiative for Soy in Human Health was implementing the project through its local partner, Assisting Management in the Poultry and Layer Industries by Feed Improvement and Efficiency Strategies.

He said Ghana suffered protein deficiency and malnutrition among children and childbearing women, adding that ‘’Per an FAO report, nearly a quarter of pre-school children are stunted and affected by chronic malnutrition. (FAO Country Profile report 2012).

He said the Heart Foundation in 2015 commissioned an independent scientific report, which involved a thorough review of the existing research.

‘’From the Heart Foundation’s evidence paper, ‘Eggs and the Heart’, which was issued in January 2016, eggs are a nutritious whole food that can be part of a heart-healthy dietary pattern, they also put it out there that although eggs have some dietary cholesterol, the weight of evidence suggests eggs have only a very small effect on blood cholesterol levels.

‘’These findings have been corroborated by American Heart Association, Australian Heart Foundation and the British Hearth Foundation.

‘’Despite current research findings that eggs have all the nutrients including proteins, vitamins, the choline’s, folic acid, iron selenium which therefore makes it world’s ‘’super food’’ it’s consumption in Ghana is very low.

“It is estimated that per capita consumption hovers around 18-24 eggs of about 26 million population, compared to: Mexico (321Eggs), USA (255 Eggs), France (248 Eggs), Portugal (186 Eggs), India (40 Eggs)’’, he said.

He said the underlying causes of Ghanaians aversion to egg consumption could be traced to age-old beliefs and misconceptions that have been handed down from generation to generation, but which have no factual status.

He therefore, urged Ghanaians to eat eggs on daily basis for healthy living.

Mr Napoleon Oduro Adjei, the Vice Chairman of GNAPF, said the average Ghanaian consumed 12-18 eggs per person annum whereas the poultry farmers produced 1.5 million eggs per day for 25-27 million people.

This he bemoaned that the low per capita consumption of eggs created a double burden; while consumers miss out on the health benefits of eggs, poultry farmers are also-hard-hit by the situation as ready market is absent and creates egg glut periods within the year.

Ms Kate Quarshie, a Nutritionist at the Ghana Health Service, said each person must eat at least an egg a day and that was the only way to sort out the malnutrition problem and also help children to be intelligent and smart.

She urged the public to shun the consumption of empty calories which has become the norm in Ghana and consume nutrients rich foods