Chief of Staff Frema Osei Opare has voiced her disapproval of the claims regarding the alleged distribution of repackaged expired rice to certain Senior High Schools (SHSs).
Her comments follow allegations made by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who contended that around 22,000 bags of expired and repackaged rice were given to these schools.
On November 18, the Minority in Parliament called for the arrest of the Directors of Lamens Investment Africa Limited and urged sanctions against the Board and Management of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) in light of these allegations.
Ablakwa also noted that the Auditor General had flagged Lamens Ventures in 2021 for providing substandard food products, yet he claimed the government has taken no action since then.
In response, Osei Opare labeled the situation as “propaganda and rumour-mongering,” stating that such claims are inappropriate in an educational context. She urged Ghanaians to concentrate on initiatives that will foster the country’s development.
In an interview with Joy News, she said, “You know it is not true, so please let us focus on things that move this country forward. We have good things; we need to focus on how we advance Ghanaian children and improve their opportunities to become responsible citizens. Propaganda and rumour-mongering have no place in education.”
Meanwhile, Kwasi Kwarteng, the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Education, asserted that the rice distributed to schools had been certified as safe for consumption by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). He refuted Ablakwa’s claims, clarifying that the rice was not expired.
Kwarteng also explained that the FDA’s penalty against Lamens was not for distributing unsafe food, but rather for failing to obtain FDA approval prior to repackaging the rice.
