PRESEC, other SHS students fed 15,000 50kg bags of expired re-packaged rice — Ablakwa alleges

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has alleged that students at Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC) in Accra and other senior high schools across Ghana were served expired and repackaged rice.

According to Ablakwa, over 15,000 bags of 50kg expired rice were secretly repackaged and distributed to schools, putting students’ health at risk.

Ablakwa disclosed the details in a social media post on November 13, claiming the “dangerous, murderous, and corrupt scheme” was uncovered through parliamentary oversight.

He noted that the rice, imported by Lamens Investments Africa Limited and initially stored by the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), was allegedly repackaged in unmarked bags without proper FDA approval.

The lawmaker alleged the repackaging process was carried out with the support of political figures from the New Patriotic Party (NPP), indicating that the company involved had “no proven track record” yet was granted exclusive access to repackage the expired rice under suspicious circumstances.

“This expired and contaminated rice was then delivered to Senior High Schools across the country and fed to students,” Ablakwa stated, emphasizing that the scheme endangered students’ health.

FDA Alerted but Ignored
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) reportedly received an alert in December 2023 from a concerned citizen about the unauthorized repackaging exercise at NAFCO’s storage facility in Kumasi.

In response, the Ashanti Regional FDA and police authorities conducted investigations and uncovered serious violations, including the lack of FDA approval for the repackaging and unregistered storage facilities used by NAFCO. Despite these findings, the distribution of the rice allegedly continued.

An intercepted report from the FDA’s Ashanti Regional office, signed by Regional Head John Laryea Odai-Tettey, detailed the investigation’s findings: the rice, originally set to expire in December 2023, was being repackaged with misleading labels, changing the country of origin from India to Ghana.

The report also revealed that “the re-packaged rice did not have a best-before date,” which is in direct violation of Ghana’s General Labelling Regulation, LI 1541, Mr Ablakwa made these revelations.

Health Risks Associated with the Expired Rice

The FDA’s laboratory tests, which reportedly arrived after the rice had already been distributed, Ablakwa added identified the presence of insects and high fat acidity in the repackaged rice.

Experts warned of potentially severe health risks associated with consuming insect-contaminated rice, including digestive symptoms, chronic inflammation, and even liver diseases, he indicated.

According to Ablakwa, medical professionals explained the long-term consequences of consuming rice with such contamination.

“The health implications of consuming rice with high fat acidity and insect infestation are multifaceted,” he quoted, with risks ranging from nutritional deficiencies to increased susceptibility to gastrointestinal disorders.

Calls for Accountability and Justice
Ablakwa urged the immediate prosecution of Lamens Investments Africa Limited and sanctions against NAFCO management.

“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,” Ablakwa stated.

The lawmaker further demanded an investigation into the role of the Ministry of Education in the matter, alleging that FDA officials were pressured to halt their probe.

“The Ministry of Education must be probed for their conduct in this despicable affair,” he added, urging that “no Senior High School should ever receive food items which have been re-packaged and do not have expiry dates.”