Free SHS: Probing expired rice scandal crucial for accountability – Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called for an independent investigation into the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) approval of the extension of the shelf life of 22,000 bags of rice distributed to secondary schools.

Despite the FDA’s assertion that the approval process adhered to regulatory standards and best practices, Ablakwa expressed concerns over the decision’s implications on students who consumed the rice.

Speaking in an interview with Citi News, Ablakwa said there is a need for transparency and accountability, urging both local and international audits of the FDA’s actions.

“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.

“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.”