Worms-Infested Flour In Kumasi

QUANTITIES OF imported flour which are infected with worms are being sold in several shops in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, to unsuspecting consumers whose lives would be in great danger after eating the unwholesome food.

The harmful flour which was believed to have been imported into the country from Canada went by the name ‘Golden Gate.’ The flour was filled in a nice yellowish package with inscriptions on it.

Most of the products do not have manufacturing and expiry dates on them.

It had inscriptions on it which read, “Product of Canada, Golden Gate, Enriched All Purpose Flour Pre-Sifted.”

The infected flour was reported to have been in the market for about five months now until a baker in Kumasi, who bought the flour from a shop at Tafo in Kumasi, hinted DAILY GUIDE.

An investigation by DAILY GUIDE at Tafo on Wednesday morning revealed several quantities of the Golden Gate flour were seen packed in a shop close to the Tafo Roman Church.

A male shop attendant there told DAILY GUIDE his madam, one Mrs. Theresa Osei Owusu had ordered him that same morning to close the shop, following complaints by customers that the flour was filled with worms.

In an interview with Mrs. Osei Owusu, she confirmed that indeed the flour was full of worms and disclosed that aside complaints from customers, she had personally seen worms from the unsold flour in her shop.

The distraught-looking shop owner, who dealt with bread bakers, then opened some of the flour in the presence of the reporter and indeed, some worms were seen coming out from the flour.

She told the paper that she had informed the one who produced the items to her, a certain Tony Kankam, who in turn ordered her to close the shop until she heard from him.

In an interview with Tony Kankam, a businessman, he said he bought several quantities of the product from Superior Star Enterprise Limited in Accra and distributed them to his customers.

He said he had personally seen the worms emanate from the packed flour and had in turn, ordered those he supplied the product not to sell to consumers until they heard from him. Kankam said he had since informed the Superior Star Enterprise Limited management in Accra and was waiting for their response with regard to what should be done to the product.

Meanwhile, an official of Superior Star Enterprise Limited, who only mentioned David as his name has told DAILY GUIDE he suspected foulplay on the part of Kankam on the whole matter.

According to him, about five months ago, Kankam purchased five containers of Golden Gate flour from his outfit on credit and he had since refused to settle the debt. David disclosed that after taking delivery of the product, Kankam refused to answer their calls, noting that they only received a call from him on Wednesday morning, saying the flour was filled with worms and that the matter had reached the media.

David said he suspected that perhaps Kankam had repackaged the flour by filing it with worms so as to avert settling the huge debt that he owed Super Star Enterprise Limited.

According to him, so far as he was concerned, the Golden Gate flour was wholesome, adding that customers who have been patronizing the product in Accra have not complained and so he suspected foulplay on the part of Kankam.

He told the reporter to direct all questions in connection with the worms in the flour to Tony Kankam since he was in the best position to answer those questions, stating that the product they sold to him was in good state.