The National Organizer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) who doubles as the Board Chair of the Buffer Stock Company, Henry Nana Boakye, has refuted claims that students in senior high schools have been served unwholesome meals.

Mr 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.

Read Also: Expired Rice Scandal: Ablakwa slams Lamens Company for “Criminal” acts

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.

But the Board chair of the Buffer Stock Company, Nana Boakye Yiadom has downplayed Ablakwa's claims.

Addressing the media, he said there is no truth whatsoever in the claims made by Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa.

“These are mere baseless, frivolous allegations. It is not true; we have never fed any student with unwholesome meals. I think that story is dead on arrival,” he remarked.

He further criticized Okudzeto Ablakwa, noting that he is known for making negative and sensational publications regularly.

Read Also: Expired rice scandal: We won’t jeopardize people’s health or safety for any reason – FDA