Deputy Minister Denies Involvement In ‘Moshosho Rice’ Scandal

The Deputy Education Minister, Reverend Ntim Forjour, has denied holding any meeting with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) over the distribution of alleged expired rice to Senior High School (SHS) across the country.

Rev. Ntim Forjour, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin South constituency, whose name was mentioned in the matter, said the allegation by his colleague MP for North Tongu and Chairman of the Assurance Committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, linking him to the scandal, was entirely false.

According to him, Mr Ablakwa, has alleged that he (Mr Ntim Forjour) received the expired foods from buffer stock and met with the FDA, but failed to act on it as the head of the Education sector.

But reacting to the matter for the first time on Accra-based Metro TV, the young politician said, “I wish to state categorically that FDA did not have a meeting with me on the expired foods, whether they were at the storehouses of schools or on the way to schools. There were no instances like that or any engagement that has gotten to my notice”.

He urged Ghanaians to stay calm and wait for the results of the ongoing investigations before linking his name to the alleged scandal.

He expressed his disappointment in Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, for trying to defame him by attaching his name to the Moshosho rice scandal.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, claims some 22,000 bags of expired rice, had been repackaged and distributed to Senior High Schools (SHSs) across the country in February this year.

According to Ablakwa, in an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Thursday, November 14, the National Food Buffer Stock Company, conspired with a company known as Lamens Investments Africa Limited to carry out the disservice.

He noted that the rice was repackaged into locally made sacks which bore ‘ECOWAS’ and ‘Made in Ghana rice’, however, there were no expiry dates written on them.

He added that, the rice was distributed to various schools, before receiving crucial clearance from the FDA.

Calls For Arrest

Meanwhile, at a press conference in Accra on Monday, November 18, Minority Caucus in parliament, expressed disappointment over the apparent lack of action on the matter, as they called for the arrest and prosecution of the directors of the company.

“The NDC Caucus demands the immediate arrest and prosecution of the directors of Lamens Investments Africa Limited, Mr Agyefi Mensah and Simon Agyei – those two directors. Simon Agyei at the time of the arrest was there supervising the illegal operations at the Buffer Stock company in Kumasi before the order came from above that he should be released. We demand their re-arrest and prosecution,” he said.

The Caucus, also called for an investigation into the National Food Buffer Stock Company, whose facilities, were allegedly used to store the expired rice.

They criticised the company for operating unregistered storage sites and urged sanctions against its Board and Management.

“Such recklessness which sacrifices the health of our students for corrupt transactions must not go unpunished,” he added in a report by myjoyonline.com.

They also demanded an inquiry into the Ministry of Education, accusing it of putting pressure on the FDA, to overlook regulatory breaches in the case.

Education Ministry Speaks

However, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, has questioned the basis of the Minority and Mr Ablakwa’s criticism, since the matter has been settled.

According to Mr Kwarteng, the Food and Drugs Authority, declared the ‘expired’ rice safe for consumption on January 16, 2024.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday news yesterday, Mr Kwarteng, defended the Ministry’s position, stating that the safety and well-being of students, have always been their top priority.

“At the end of the day, the understanding that I have from the FDA is that, they declared the product wholesome and safe for consumption. The approval came on January 16, 2024,” he said.

Mr Kwarteng, expressed surprise at Ablakwa’s dissatisfaction, emphasising that the FDA’s assurance of the rice’s safety, should have resolved the matter.

“I do not understand why Ablakwa should be disappointed. The FDA confirmed that the food was wholesome. If the intention is to fight for the safety and well-being of students, then this confirmation should be enough,” he argued.

He clarified that Lamens Investments Africa, the company at the centre of the controversy, was sanctioned by the FDA not for distributing unwholesome food, but for failing to obtain the necessary approval to repackage the rice.

“The FDA’s issue was that Lamens did not get the requisite approval for repackaging. Although they had extended the product’s ‘best before’ date, Lamens was supposed to attach the necessary documentation to every consignment sent to schools. They failed to do this and repackaged the product without approval,” he explained.

“For us at the Ministry, our priority is to find out whether the food is wholesome, and we have done that. So that ends it for the ministry,” he stressed.

This was after the Education Ministry, had given its preliminary findings on the matter saying, “the rice was certified by the FDA as wholesome for consumption, with its new expiry date extended to April, 2024”.

Source: Anchorghana.com