Alleged Expired Rice: FDA approved rice distributed to SHSs – Education Ministry

The Ministry of Education has addressed claims made by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa that some 22,000 bags of purported expired and repackaged rice were given to Senior High Schools (SHSs) nationwide.

The Ministry claims that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) certified the rice in question as wholesome.

According to Ablakwa, Lamens Investments Africa Limited and the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) colluded to distribute rice that had gone bad in December 2023.

The former Deputy Minister for Education further alleged that the rice was repackaged in locally made sacks with misleading labels such as "ECOWAS" and "Made in Ghana rice" but lacked an expiry date.

On Thursday, November 14, 2024, the Ministry of Education responded by confirming that an investigation had been opened regarding the issue. Ministry spokesperson Kwasi Kwarteng explained that NAFCO had contracted with Lamens Ventures to buy the rice for distribution. Even though the rice was originally imported and was supposed to expire in December 2023, by the end of the year, some of it was still available.

Lamens Ventures had the rice retested in India to see if its shelf life could be increased per the FDA's recommendation. The FDA extended the rice's "Best Before" date to April 30, 2024, after reevaluating it and confirming that it was still safe to eat, a report by citinewsroom.com said.

But, Ablakwa has maintained his stance that the rice was expired and unfit for consumption, rejecting the FDA's certification.

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.

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