The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, took the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, to the cleaners over the latter's claim that the price of sanitary pads under the government’s Free Sanitary Pad Distribution Programme was bloated.
The Old Tafo legislator had accused the government of profligate spending under the Free Sanitary Pad policy for schoolgirls in basic and senior high schools, citing figures from the 2025 and 2026 budget statements.
He claimed that in the 2025 budget, the government announced plans to purchase 3.1 million packs of sanitary pads at a cost of GH¢292 million. However, in the 2026 budget estimates, the government reported that the same amount of GH¢292 million was spent to procure 6.6 million packs.
This, he said, implies that the government procured each pack at about GH¢45, far above the prevailing market price, ranging between GH¢15 and GH¢25.
Reacting to this during proceedings in the House on November 25, 2025, Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Tamale South, said that Assafuah had got the figures totally wrong.
He asserted that the total number of sanitary pads the government was procuring for the programme was over 12 million, and not the 6.6 million the Old Tafo legislator was claiming.
NPP Minority raises concerns over sanitary pads expenditure in budgetxt
“Mr Speaker, a colleague of mine arguing on sanitary pads chose to do chop bar arithmetics. He just took the number of 6.6 million in a batch of sanitary pad supply and came to the conclusion that government was procuring sanitary pads for GH¢45.
Education Minister fires back in sanitary pads debate, accusing MP Ekow Assafuah of using a 'chop bar' arithmetic. The Minister states the correct figure is over 12 million packs, not 6.6 million.#3NewsGH #TV3GH pic.twitter.com/UJeulPOxdN
“Mr Speaker, that is a palpable falsehood. The total number of sanitary pads being procured by the government is 12,000,208 at GH¢292 million, not for him to just take 6.6 million and divide it by GH¢292 million and come to the conclusion that one of it is costing GH¢45,” he said.
Watch a video of his remarks below:/b>
BAI
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