Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, has raised concerns over the distribution of 22,000 bags of expired and repackaged rice to Senior High Schools (SHSs) across Ghana in February this year. Ablakwa alleged in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Thursday, November 14, that the National Food Buffer Stock Company collaborated with a company, Lamens Investments Africa Limited, to repackage and distribute expired rice.
According to Ablakwa, expired rice from India, branded as “Moshosho rice” and expired since December 2023, was repackaged at a Buffer Stock storage facility in Kumasi, Ashanti region. He claimed the rice was put into locally made sacks labeled with “ECOWAS” and “Made in Ghana rice” but without an expiry date, concealing the product’s expired status.
“The National Food Buffer Stock Company clearly conspired with Lamens Investments Africa Limited,” Ablakwa asserted. “Upon realizing the rice had expired, they used the Buffer Stock facility in Kumasi to repackage it, despite knowing it was unfit for consumption.”
Ablakwa further revealed that after a tip-off, the Ashanti Regional Police Command and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) intercepted the rice, which was set aside for testing. However, before the FDA’s results arrived from Accra on February 6, orders allegedly came from higher authorities to proceed with distributing the rice to schools. Ablakwa noted, “All 22,000 bags of rice, which the police initially sought to confiscate, were later released and sent to the schools.”
He also disclosed that after the exposure of this case, an investigation was initiated but subsequently dropped after the company agreed to pay a fine of GH₵100,000 as compensation. “There should be prosecution. This company has admitted wrongdoing and put thousands of Ghanaian students’ health at risk, yet they have only paid half of the fine and are nowhere to be found to complete the payment,” Ablakwa stated.
