The National Organizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Board Chair of the Buffer Stock Company, Henry Nana Boakye, has refuted claims that students in senior high schools have been served unwholesome meals.
Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa has strongly criticized Lamens, the company at the center of the expired rice scandal, describing their actions as “criminal.”
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr. Ablakwa accused the company of violating Ghana’s Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) by re-bagging unwholesome rice without proper labeling or adherence to food safety standards.
“This is a company that was cited in the 2021 Auditor General’s report, and now they are engaging in the criminal act of re-bagging expired rice,” he said. He further claimed that Lamens had already admitted to the offense and paid fines imposed by regulatory authorities.
The scandal, which has sparked public outrage, involved the alleged re-bagging of expired rice originally imported from India but falsely labeled as “Made in Ghana.” The rice bags lacked essential information, including manufacturing and expiration dates, in violation of Ghanaian laws.
Mr. Ablakwa also accused the National Buffer Stock Company of complicity, claiming the agency allowed its storage facilities to be used for the illegal operation. “The Buffer Stock Company has opened its storage facility for this criminal activity to go on,” he stated, emphasizing the need for accountability within the government agency.
The Buffer Stock Company, a government entity responsible for the procurement and storage of food supplies, has faced scrutiny for its role in enabling the scandal. Mr. Ablakwa argued that their oversight failures not only compromised public health but also highlighted systemic lapses in food safety monitoring.
However, the Board Chair of the Buffer Stock Company, Henry Nana Boakye, has downplayed Mr. Ablakwa’s claims.
Addressing the media, he said there is absolutely no truth in the allegations made by Mr. Ablakwa. “These are baseless, frivolous allegations. It is not true; we have never served any student unwholesome meals. I believe that story is dead on arrival,” he remarked.
He further criticized Mr. Ablakwa, noting that he is known for making negative and sensational publications regularly.
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