“Expired” rice: FDA explains that Lamens Investments’ GH¢100k fine was due to regulatory infractions
According to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Lamens Investments Africa Limited was fined GH¢100,000 for a number of regulatory infractions rather than the calibre of the Moshosho rice that was imported from India.
Investigations showed that Lamens Investments re-bagged the rice without first getting approval, which is a crucial step necessary to guarantee product integrity and adherence to safety regulations, the FDA said in a statement.
According to the statement, the corporation neglected to secure FDA oversight during the re-bagging procedures, which were conducted in an unregistered facility.
“The FDA imposed an administrative fine of GH¢100,000 on Lamens Investments Africa Limited for the following regulatory breaches: Re-bagging the rice without prior FDA approval, Conducting re-bagging operations in an unlicensed facility, and Failing to ensure FDA supervision during the re-bagging process,” the statement said in part.
Investigations into the purported re-bagging of some 22,000 bags of 50 kg rice that were originally imported from India but were mistakenly branded as “Made in Ghana” led to the penalties. According to Ghanaian regulations, the rice bags were devoid of crucial information, such as production and expiration dates.
The FDA underlined that these infractions constitute grave violations of Ghanaian regulations.
According to the report, testing carried out by respectable organisations in Ghana and India, such as the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), verified that the rice complied with safety regulations. However, the importer handled the merchandise in a way that was against public health norms.
Separately, following careful scientific review, the FDA recently authorised extending the rice’s Best Before date from December 20, 2023, to April 30, 2024.
A proposal to further extend the deadline to December 2024 was denied by the authorities, nevertheless, citing a lack of stability data to support the extension.
Concerns raised by the public over the FDA’s acceptance of partial payments for administrative fines were also addressed.
According to the authority, this procedure guarantees that businesses maintain their financial obligations while maintaining accountability by enabling regulatory measures to move forward promptly.
The FDA underlined that such enforcement actions are crucial to preserving trust in the food supply chain, reinforcing its goal to protect public health.
The FDA stated, “We will keep upholding the highest standards and taking decisive action to protect public health and safety.”
Context
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, said that 22,000 bags of repackaged and outdated rice were sent to Senior High Schools (SHSs) all over the nation.
According to him, the shipment was delivered in February of this year via the Free Senior High School Secretariat.
According to him, the shipment was delivered in February of this year via the Free Senior High School Secretariat.
The MP, who is also the head of Parliament’s Assurances Committee, stated in his own investigation that the action was purposefully carried out following a tip.
He said, “There is no doubt that the National Food Buffer Stock Company colluded with a business called Lamens Investments Africa Limited. They repackaged outdated grains at the Ashanti region’s Buffer Stock storage facility in Kumasi. This company imported rice from India under the “Moshosho rice” name, which ran out of stock in December 2023. They plotted with the Buffer Stock company to re-bag the rice after they discovered it had gone bad.
“With inscription ‘ECOWAS’, ‘Made in Ghana rice’, but without an expiration date,” he continued, the rice was repackaged into locally made sacks.
On Thursday, November 14, Mr. Okudzeto made these claims in an interview with Joy FM’s Midday News.
He added that after getting a tip, the Ashanti Regional Police Command and the local Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) seized the food for further examination. Later on, though, it was made available for further dissemination.
Can you imagine that an order from above to distribute the infected, expired rice to the schools was given before the FDA test findings arrived in Accra on February 6th? Thus, as of right now, the schools have received all 22,000 bags of rice that the police attempted to seize,” he stated.
Additionally, the MP claimed that roughly “10,000 bags were kept in a bonded warehouse in Tema, known as Lynbrok.”
The MP claims that an investigation was started after he revealed the misconduct, but it was eventually dropped when the corporation in question agreed to pay GH₵100,000 in compensation.
“There should be prosecution,” he remarked. After endangering thousands of Ghanaian students’ health, the corporation acknowledged their mistake and agreed to pay a GH₵100,000 fine.
He stated that the business was untraceable and had not paid the entire fine. “Even the fine – they have only paid half of it, and they can’t be located to pay the remainder,” he said.
“The rice was so contaminated, it had insects and a very high acidity level,” the FDA’s findings stated. This rice should have been destroyed, according to medical professionals who have seen the FDA data,” the MP stated.
As a result, the MP is demanding that the issue be thoroughly investigated and that those responsible be held accountable.
