A former Director of Procurement at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture claimed that “party people” had taken over warehouses after the 2024 elections, interfering with the distribution of rice, sparking heated arguments during a meeting of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Committee members were immediately alarmed by the assertion, and Edem Agbana, the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, demanded an explanation.
He issued a warning that such assertions could give false impressions and jeopardise the accuracy of parliamentary records if they are not adequately addressed.
However, despite the Deputy Minister for Agriculture’s and other committee members’ attempts to defuse the situation, his attempt to get clarity led to a heated standoff.
The committee sought to ascertain whether the reference to “party people” implied political meddling or identified particular people or organisations engaged in the rice supply chain.
Thomas Nyarko Ampem, the Deputy Finance Minister, informed the committee that Rans Logistics, one of the businesses mentioned for violations in the Auditor-General’s special report, has reimbursed the state around 19 million as a result of the study’s conclusions.
The events highlight increased scrutiny of the farm industry’s distribution and procurement procedures, especially with reference to how food supplies are handled following the 2024 elections.
Source: newsthemegh.com