Officials from two prominent Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) institutions have validated the usefulness of Tetrapleura tetraptera, often known as ‘Prekese,’ in the treatment of hypertension, a leading cause of death in the country. the Food Research Institute (FRI) and the Forestry Research Institute (FRI).
Prof. Charles Tortoe of food Research and Prof. Daniel Ofori of forestry research confirmed the affirmation when the Ministry of Science and Technology appeared before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee yesterday (Feb. 3).
Other agencies that appeared before the PAC included the Building and Roads Research Institute, Soil Research Institute, Crop Research Institute, National Population Council, Ghana Aids Commission and the Ghana Supply Company.
Indigenous plant
Professor Charles Tortoe (right), Director of the CSIR-Food Research Institute, addresses the PAC in Accra. GABRIEL AHIABOR is pictured.
In response to an inquiry from the PAC’s Chairman, Dr James Klutse Avedzi, on the health advantages of Prekese, Prof. Tortoe explained that the plant was one of many indigenous plants present in the country.
“With the knowledge we have on prekese, it is really excellent for health and we have got studies that have also come out to suggest that for those who are suffering from hypertension, is very helpful and manages it (their hypertension) and it is functioning.
“So in our facility, we have this product coming from our sister institute, the Forestry Research Institute, that is giving us samples that we sell and so we have the Prekese syrup which we sell in our shop for the public to take,” he said.
Asked again by Dr Avedzi whether the product was produced in large quantities for access to members of the public, Prof. Tortoe said it was produced at the FRI in Kumasi and that the FRI took samples from it to sell to the public.
Support
Responding to a question from Dr Avedzi on whether the FRI would need support to produce more Prekese syrup, Prof. Ofori said yes, “please we need support to build a big facility and then we also need support to import some equipment that we need in the processing of Prekese syrup.”
He said if the FRI could get some facilities or support from the government or the private sector it would go a long way to help.
He said although there is Prekese syrup on the market produced by some individuals, “the quality that people attest to is that CSIR Prekese syrup is the best”
Confirmation
Throwing further light on the health benefits of the product in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Prof. Ofori noted that people who had used the syrup had confirmed an improvement in their health situation.
“So this is a confirmation from our clients and this also leads to more people coming to us to ask of the syrup so it is confirmed that it has health benefits. But we don’t sell it as a medicine but as a food supplement,” he emphasised.
Explaining further, he said the syrup had also received the approval of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and that the number of the authority could be found on it.
“So we have this product coming from our sister institute, the Forestry Research Institute, that is giving us samples that we sell, and so we have the Prekese syrup that we offer in our shop for the public to take,” he explained.
When Dr Avedzi asked again if the substance was made in big numbers for public use, Prof. Tortoe claimed it was produced at the FRI in Kumasi and that the FRI took samples from it to sell to the public.
Dwindling fortunes
Earlier, Prof. Tortoe told the committee, among other things, that during 2019 year under review, the institute’s commercialisation surplus went down due to challenges it had during its commercial activities.
Mainly, he said that was due to its processing equipment as it was using its old equipment and had to deal with the challenges of breakdown.
In response to a question from a member of the committee, Sam George, Prof. Ofori explained why the FRI swung from surplus to deficit between 2017 and 2018, saying that donor financing decreased in 2018.
He stated that the institute had to perform extensive repairs and maintenance in 2018.
The PAC has been meeting for two weeks to discuss the Auditor-report General’s on the public accounts of public boards, businesses, and other statutory institutions for the fiscal year ending 2020.