Ministry of Education has responded to allegations by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa regarding the distribution of 22,000 bags of allegedly expired and repackaged rice to Senior High Schools across the country.
The Ministry has dismissed these claims, asserting that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) certified the rice as safe for consumption.
Ablakwa accused Lamens Investments Africa Limited and the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) of conspiring to distribute rice that had reportedly expired in December 2023. He further alleged that the rice was repackaged in locally made sacks with misleading labels such as “ECOWAS” and “Made in Ghana rice” and lacked proper expiry dates.
On November 14, 2024, the Ministry of Education addressed the controversy, confirming that the matter is under investigation. According to Ministry spokesperson Kwasi Kwarteng, NAFCO had contracted Lamens Ventures to procure and distribute the rice.
While the rice was initially imported and marked with a December 2023 expiry date, Lamens Ventures sought FDA guidance to assess whether the product was still fit for consumption.
Following retesting, including a review in India, the FDA extended the “Best Before” date to April 30, 2024, confirming the rice remained safe to eat.
Despite this assurance, Ablakwa has doubled down on his position, rejecting the FDA’s findings and maintaining that the rice was unfit for distribution. The Ministry has reiterated its commitment to uncovering the truth and ensuring the safety of food provided to schools.
Read initial findings: Supply of Expired Rice to Students under the Free SHS Programme.
1. The National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO) engaged Lamens Ventures to procure rice for distribution to students under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program.
2. A total of 11,000 metric tons of rice was imported, with an initial expiry date of December 2023.
3. By the last quarter of 2023, NAFCO still had a portion of this stock yet to be supplied to schools.
4. On the advice of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Lamens Ventures followed the necessary protocols to have the rice re-tested in India, its country of origin.
5. The re-testing was to ascertain the possibility of extending the rice’s shelf life by an additional year, to December 2024.
5. Following further evaluations and verifications, the FDA granted a temporary extension of the rice’s “Best Before” date to April 30 2024, after confirming the product’s continued wholesomeness.
6. It is important to note that February 2024 was the last time Lamens distributed these rice to schools through NAFCO and at the time the rice was deemed wholesome by the FDA
7. To address concerns from schools regarding the rice’s perceived expiry date, Lamens Ventures submitted a formal request to the FDA, dated February 9, 2024, seeking approval to re-bag the remaining stock to reflect the updated shelf life.
8. The rice was certified by the FDA as wholesome for consumption, with its new expiry date extended to April 2024.