Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu, is surprised by the Ministry of Education’s claim of ignorance about the expired and contaminated rice distributed to Free SHS students by Lamens Investments Africa Ltd and the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
The MP noted that he is baffled because he has irrefutable documents showing that the Food and Drugs Authority had already spoken with Deputy Minister Rev. John Ntim Fordjour about the issue months ago.
According to Ablakwa, this raises questions about the Ministry’s lack of awareness despite the ongoing inquiries.
“My attention has been drawn to the Ministry of Education’s statement indicating that they have commenced investigations into my exposé about how over 22,000 50kg bags of expired and contaminated rice were criminally re-packaged and fed to Free SHS students.
“It is clear to me that the Ministry of Education is complicit in this matter and therefore cannot be trusted to conduct credible and impartial investigations”.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Hon. Ablakwa emphasized that the Ministry of Education must take full responsibility for its failure to safeguard the well-being of Ghanaian children entrusted to its care.
He criticized the Ministry for allowing unscrupulous individuals, motivated by greed and corruption, to put the lives of young students at risk by supplying them with expired and contaminated rice.
The North Tongu MP further stressed that the gravity of this situation demands a thorough and independent investigation.
Ablakwa called for an unbiased, credible, and impartial inquiry into this malicious scheme, which has compromised the health of SHS students.
He indicated that this event has badly undermined public trust in the system responsible for student’s welfare.
The Ghanaian people, he asserted, deserve transparency and accountability in addressing this serious issue.
Asare Assert Expired Rice Scandal Not News
Meanwhile, Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch Africa), remarked that for organizations like Eduwatch, which are deeply involved in the education sector, the alleged expired and re-packaged rice scandal is not a recent development.
He explained that this issue was first brought to light in March 2024, and it is not something that has only surfaced now.
Asare highlighted that Eduwatch and other stakeholders in the education industry were already aware of the situation, underlining the ongoing concerns about the quality of food provided to students under the Free SHS program.
“Expired-alleged; repackaging-established by FDA. Food already consumed over 6 months ago kraaaaaa!
“I hear the MoE [Ministry of Education] PRO say MoE wants to investigate. But it appears the FDA has already done that long ago. Could the FDA’s investigation have happened on MoE’s blind side?”
Kofi Asare
Asare further called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) to focus on the implementation of the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) recommendations within the food supply chain.
He emphasized that the MoE must ensure that these recommendations have been effectively acted upon to prevent further risks to students.
Additionally, Asare stressed the need for stronger Warehouse Security, Quality Assurance, and Compliance systems.
He argued that these systems must be enhanced to ensure transparency, accountability, and the safety of the food supplied to students, highlighting the importance of maintaining strict oversight to prevent such incidents in the future.
Asare further pointed out that, in addition to addressing the immediate concerns, it appears that the FDA has already taken action against the company involved, applying the sanctions outlined in the Public Health Act.
He noted that these measures, which are meant to hold the company accountable for its actions, indicate that the relevant regulatory body has already intervened. “Whether the company has complied or not is another issue”.
However, Asare emphasized the need for ongoing scrutiny to ensure that such actions are not only punitive but also effective in preventing future incidents, thereby reinforcing the importance of strict adherence to public health regulations within the food supply chain.
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