Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has strongly criticised Lamens, the company at the centre 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 labelling 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 offence 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 labelled 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, emphasising 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.
The expired rice scandal came to light in December 2023 after a tip-off to the Ashanti Regional Police Command and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). Investigations revealed that expired rice was being repackaged at a facility under the jurisdiction of the National Buffer Stock Company.
The FDA confirmed the violations and imposed fines on Lamens. However, Ablakwa insists that the government must take stricter measures to ensure such incidents are not repeated.
Source:www.myjoyonline.com