Expired Rice Fiasco: Okudzeto Ablakwa slams FDA and Government, calls for accountability

A growing scandal in Ghana has sparked outrage and calls for accountability. At the center of the controversy is the Food and Drugs Authority's (FDA) decision to extend the shelf life of 22,000 bags of rice distributed to secondary schools.

The FDA claims the approval process adhered to regulatory standards, but Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, remains unconvinced. Ablakwa is pushing for an independent investigation into the FDA's actions, citing concerns over the potential health risks to students who consumed the rice.

The MP's demands for transparency and accountability have been met with resistance, but he remains resolute. 

“They [FDA] have only conducted themselves in a manner that raises more questions. And that is why an independent inquiry into this matter is crucial. Perhaps, the only good thing about that press conference is that they are willing to subject themselves and their conduct in this whole scandal to investigation,'' Ablakwa said in an interview on Citi News.

The expired rice scandal has also raised questions about the government's role in the controversy. Ablakwa has criticized President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for failing to take action.

“And that is where we have to get to. It is really a shame that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a leader who checked out long ago and so is taking no action.”

Source: Florence Kyei / Lead News Online