The Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has once again shocked he country with this Parliamentary oversight investigation.
In a detail article with documentary evidence, the lawmaker reveals how expires and contaminated imported rice was re-packaged and shared to senior high schools under he Free SHS program.
Read the full article:
MONEY OVER LIVES — WHEN CALLOUSNESS, UNBRIDLED GREED AND UNCONTROLLABLE CORRUPTION COMBINE TO RISK THE LIVES OF GHANA’S SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Painstaking parliamentary oversight has uncovered a grand callous, dangerous, murderous and corrupt scheme that puts the health of Senior High School students in extreme jeopardy.
My unimpeachable investigation reveals how a crony company was allowed to criminally re-package over 15,000 50kg bags of expired and contaminated rice into different 50kg bags without expiry dates under the full protection of NPP political heavyweights.
This expired and contaminated rice was then delivered to Senior High Schools across the country and fed to students.
On 20th December, 2023, the Ashanti Regional Office of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) received an alert from a patriotic Ghanaian about a suspicious re-packaging exercise which had not been authorized by the FDA.
This unauthorized re-packaging was shockingly being carried out at the storage facility of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) in the Ashanti Region.
When FDA officials acted on the alert, it emerged that a similar alert had been received by the Ashanti Regional Police Command and the command had promptly moved in to close the storage facility.
The FDA and the Ashanti Regional Police Command then commenced investigations into the matter.
The Ashanti Regional FDA’s investigations revealed the following damning findings as contained in an intercepted report signed by its Ashanti Regional Head, John Laryea Odai-Tettey:
- Moshosho Rice (25% broken white rice) with registration number FDA/Ce 20-701 was imported by Lamens Investments Africa Limited.
- The Notify Party is the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
- The rice was exported from India by Satya Balajee Rice Industries PVT Ltd.
- In all 33,000 bags of 50kg bags of rice were imported.
- The National Food Buffer Stock storage facility in Kumasi received 22,000 bags of 50kg rice by the time of the alert, whilst the remaining 10,000 bags were being kept at a bonded warehouse in Tema known as Lynbrok.
- Lamens Investments Africa and National Food Buffer Stock realizing that the best before date for the Moshosho Rice was December 2023 started criminally re-packaging the Moshosho Rice from its original yellow 50kg polypropylene bags into white 50kg polypropylene bags with the inscription “CEDAO ECOWAS Regional Food Security Reserve.”
- Whilst the best before date on the original Moshosho Rice packaging was December 2023, there was no date on the new bags being used for the re-packaging. This contravenes the General Labelling Regulation, LI 1541.
- The country of origin (India) was also changed to Ghana concealing the true identity of the rice and creating a false narrative that Buffer Stock and the Free SHS Secretariat were distributing Made-in-Ghana rice.
- This illegal re-packaging was carried out without FDA’s approval as required by law.
- The National Food Buffer Stock storage facility had neither been licensed for storage or re-packaging contrary to the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851)
- It was determined that the NAFCO storage facility had no qualified or trained person to supervise its activities.
President Akufo-Addo’s appointed CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company is Alhaji Hanan Abdul-Wahab. He is also the NPP’s Parliamentary Candidate for the Pusiga Constituency.
The Board of the National Food Buffer Stock Company is chaired by the NPP’s National Organizer, Henry Nana Boakye.
It is most instructive to note that the importer, Lamens Investments Africa Ltd has admitted to its wrongdoing and agreed to pay an administrative fine of GHS100,000.00
Indeed, additional intercepted documents confirm that Lamens paid a 50% deposit of the fine to the FDA amounting to GHS50,000.00. It was received by the FDA on January 5, 2024. (See evidence of payment and Lamens admission of guilt attached.)
FDA insiders say the untouchable Lamens has since refused to pay the remaining fine.
Typical of sweetheart deals under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, Lamens Investments Africa Limited was single sourced. The company has no proven track record.
Lamens was incorporated on 20th July, 2020. Its directors are David Agyefi-Mensah and Simon Adjei.
An intercepted internal memo from the Ashanti Regional FDA dated 29th December, 2023 (copy attached) reveals that initially the FDA intended to fine Lamens Investments GHS150,000.00; dispose the 15,000 bags which had been re-packaged at the time of the alert, and issue an immediate desist order to stop further re-packaging, however, intense political pressure thwarted the FDA’s original plans. (See FDA internal memo attached)
The Ashanti Regional Police Command in an intercepted letter dated 21st December, 2023, signed by J.J. Boye, Superintendent/Crime/Ashanti wrote to the Ashanti Regional FDA Director requesting assistance in conducting an examination of the re-packaged rice.
Shockingly, even before the test results would arrive from FDA-Accra, a reckless order came from above that the re-packaged rice be distributed to Senior High Schools.
The FDA eventually submitted the test results — also known as certificate of analysis on the 6th of February, 2024. (Intercepted copies attached).
Irrefutable investigations show that the expired and contaminated re-packaged bags of rice were already distributed to schools on the 2nd of February, 2024 — some four days prior.
If authorities had waited for the FDA test results, the re-packaged Moshosho rice would have all been destroyed and not fed to our SHS students.
See attached to this publication, evidence of the distribution of the re-packaged expired and contaminated rice to Senior High Schools such as PRESEC, Legon and Bolga Girls.
Note that PRESEC serves as the centralized warehouse for all Senior High Schools in the Greater Accra Region. That means all Senior High and TVET Schools pick up their supplies from PRESEC.
Further checks confirm that these schools received the re-packaged rice which did not have a best before date.
Headmasters have told me they raised reservations but they were simply ignored.
This is the more tragic part — unfortunately, the FDA certificate of analysis on the re-packaged rice samples show significant presence of insects and a high fat acidity.
Medical doctors I have engaged with this FDA laboratory evidence speak of grave health consequences for our SHS students.
According to doctors, the health implications of consuming rice with high fat acidity and insect infestation are multifaceted, encompassing immediate digestive symptoms, potential allergic reactions, and long-term health risks, including chronic inflammation, liver disease, and nutritional deficiencies. Short-term effects are generally uncomfortable and may discourage consumption, but the long-term impacts are insidious, potentially leading to irreversible health consequences if consumption continues over time.
Long-Term Gastrointestinal and Microbial Health Risks: Ingesting insect-contaminated rice regularly poses risks to gut health. Insects may introduce harmful bacteria and parasites, disrupting the delicate balance of gut microbiota. Repeated exposure to pathogens and potential parasites can weaken gut immunity and contribute to dysbiosis, where harmful bacteria outcompete beneficial gut bacteria, increasing susceptibility to chronic GI disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (Cunha et al., 2023)
Furthermore, certain insect components, like chitin, may be difficult for some individuals to digest, potentially leading to chronic digestive issues and discomfort over time.
Mycotoxin Exposure and Carcinogenic Risks: Long-term ingestion of rice contaminated with mycotoxins due to insect presence or spoilage can be particularly harmful. Aflatoxins, produced by certain molds in warm, humid storage conditions, are well-documented carcinogens, particularly linked to liver cancer. Chronic low-level exposure to aflatoxins from contaminated rice can accumulate over years, leading to an increased risk of hepatic cancer and other liver disorders (Aguilar-Toalá et al., 2022)
Nutritional Deficiencies and Long-Term Health Impacts: When rice becomes rancid or is infested by insects, its nutritional profile can deteriorate. Such deficiencies over time may contribute to weakened immune function, poor growth in children, and compromised energy levels among adults, ultimately affecting quality of life and general well-being (Smith, 2020).
Food Poisoning and Toxins: Spoiled rice with high fat acidity can harbor mycotoxins, especially if exposed to fungal growth during storage. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds that fungi, particularly molds, produce as they colonize food products. When rice is stored improperly, the risk of mold contamination increases, making mycotoxins a danger. Short-term exposure to these toxins can cause nausea, vomiting, and liver distress, with certain mycotoxins, such as aflatoxins, recognized for their acute toxicity (Aguilar-Toalá et al., 2022).
Long-Term Health Effects
Chronic Inflammatory Response: Long-term consumption of rice with high fat acidity may contribute to systemic inflammation. Oxidized fats contain peroxides and aldehydes, compounds that can promote oxidative stress in the body and drive chronic inflammation. Persistent oxidative stress is linked to a higher risk of developing metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and even certain cancers due to ongoing cellular damage. This inflammation is exacerbated by the ingestion of oxidized fats that accumulate from habitual consumption of rancid rice (Smith, 2020).
Sadly, my parliamentary oversight affirms that all the 22,000 highly contaminated re-packaged insect infested and high fat acidity rice have been consumed by our children in Senior High Schools across the country since February this year.
Considering that the Moshosho rice expired in December 2023 and that distribution to schools was carried out in February 2024 coupled with the fact that these food items are stored over several months before they are completely consumed in dining halls, we can only imagine the levels of contamination by the time the students consumed the entire quantities.
It is totally unacceptable that the politicians and their business partners who conspired to put the health of our SHS students at great risk have not been made to answer for their crimes.
Act 851 is not ambiguous:
103 (1) A person who manufactures, labels, packages, sells or advertises a food in a manner that is false, misleading, deceptive or misbranded as regards its character, nature, value additives, substance, quality, quantity, composition, merit or safety commits an offence.
130 (1) A person shall not manufacture for sale, sell, supply or store products regulated under this Part except in premises registered for that purpose under this Part.
We demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of the directors of Lamens Investments Africa Limited.
The management of the National Food Buffer Stock Company must be sanctioned for allowing their storage facility to be used for this atrocious act and for operating unregistered storage facilities across the country. Such recklessness which sacrifices the health of our students for corrupt transactions must not go unpunished.
The Ministry of Education must be probed for their conduct in this despicable affair — not only for supervising this rot which severely endangers the health of SHS students but also their reported role as alleged by FDA officials that they piled undue pressure to get the FDA to back off.
CHASS, teacher unions, PTAs and all Ghanaians must insist that no Senior High School should ever receive food items which have been re-packaged and do not have expiry dates.
We shall not rest until justice is done in this matter.
Our SHS students must never be subjected to this unwarranted callousness just because an unscrupulous few seek to enrich themselves.
For God and Country.
Ghana First 🇬🇭
[NB: Sincerest apologies for the delayed publication, I have terrible network challenges from my current campaign location]
