Expired Rice Scandal: Minority calls for Arrest of Culprits and Mass Medical Screening of Affected Students

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate arrest of individuals involved in the rebranding and distribution of expired Indian rice to public Senior High Schools across the country.

The call was made at a press conference on Monday, November 18, 2024, led by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Chairman of the Assurance Committee and Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu.

Ablakwa described the scandal as a “devious criminal conspiracy” that endangered the health of thousands of students in Senior High Schools (SHS).

He condemned the “callousness” of those responsible for re-packaging over 22,000 bags of expired Moshosho Rice imported from India and distributing it as “Made-in-Ghana” rice to schools, all for the benefit of a few corrupt individuals.

He stressed that this act of greed and disregard for student safety had been uncovered through thorough parliamentary oversight.

According to Ablakwa, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) was alerted in December 2023 by a concerned Ghanaian about the suspicious re-packaging of rice at the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) storage facility in Kumasi.

He said investigations revealed that the rice in question, Moshosho Rice, imported by Lamens Investments Africa Ltd., had a “best before” date of December 2023.

The rice was subsequently re-packaged into new 50kg bags bearing the misleading inscription “CEDAO ECOWAS Regional Food Security Reserve” without an expiry date, thus violating Ghana’s food safety regulations.

Mr. Ablakwa said a total 22,000 bags had been re-bagged and distributed to Senior High Schools by February 2024, despite the fact that the rice had already expired.

The rice, he noted was re-packaged without FDA approval and without compliance with labelling regulations that mandate the inclusion of expiry dates.

He said the rice, which had a high fat acidity and was infested with insects, poses serious health risks to students as medical professionals have warned of immediate and long-term health consequences, including gastrointestinal issues, allergic reactions, and increased risk of liver disease and nutritional deficiencies.

The North Tongu lawmaker said Lamens Investments was also implicated in a previous scandal in 2021, where the company was found in unauthorized deals by supplying contaminated food to schools Despite these findings, Lamens continued to be involved in food contracts with NAFCO.

The Role of the Ministry of Education

The NDC caucus also condemned the Ministry of Education for its initial response to the scandal, which involved feigning ignorance and calling for an investigation.

According to Ablakwa, the Ministry had been aware of the issue as early as January 2024, following multiple consultations between the FDA and Deputy Education Minister, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour.

Ablakwa expressed outrage over the Ministry’s sudden shift in stance, where it began defending Lamens and claiming that the FDA had authorized an extension of the rice’s expiry date—an unprecedented move that the NDC caucus disputes.

“The Ministry’s actions have been characterized as “irresponsible” and an attempt to protect those responsible for the scandal, rather than safeguarding the health of SHS students,” the Chairman of Assurance Committee said.

Calls for Immediate Action

The NDC caucus has made several demands in the wake of the scandal including immediate arrest and prosecution of the directors of Lamens Investments Africa Ltd. for their role in the illegal re-packaging and distribution of expired rice.

The caucus want the Board and management of the National Food Buffer Stock Company also be held accountable for allowing their facility to be used in this criminal act and for operating unregistered storage facilities in violation of public health laws.

Further, the Ministry of Education should be investigated for its role in overseeing the scandal and for allegedly pressuring the FDA to approve the re-packaging operation. The NDC caucus is calling for a full probe into how the Ministry managed the distribution of the contaminated rice.

Mass Screening of Students

Given the health risks posed by the contaminated rice, the NDC caucus has called for a mass screening of affected students to assess the potential health impact.

They also called for urgent reforms in food safety protocols for Senior High Schools to prevent such an incident from occurring again.

Ablakwa emphasized that the scandal represents a gross violation of public trust and the rights of students and urged President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Bawumia to take immediate action to address the issue and bring those responsible to justice.

He said the NDC caucus would not allow the issue to die off as usual and is committed to continuing its oversight and ensuring that the health and safety of SHS students are prioritized in the future.

“The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government must take responsibility for this scandal and ensure that those involved are held accountable. We will not rest until justice is served and our students are protected from such reckless and callous acts in the future,” said Ablakwa.