Ablakwa, who exposed the issue, claimed that the FDA ignored its own findings from an examination conducted on February 6, which raised significant concerns about the rice’s quality.
According to Ablakwa, the examination revealed alarming levels of insect infestations and excessive fat acidity, conditions that medical professionals have indicated make the rice unsuitable for consumption.
Speaking on JoyFM’s Top Story on Thursday, November 21, he expressed frustration over the FDA’s handling of the matter, calling for an independent inquiry into the agency’s actions.
“Let’s have an independent inquiry into this matter. The FDA is complicit, and they have questions to answer. The top officials at the FDA must be fired,” he demanded.
This latest criticism comes after Joseph Yaw-Bernie, the Director of Legal and Corporate Affairs at the FDA, defended the authority’s actions, insisting that due process was followed.
Yaw-Bernie explained that tests conducted by the FDA, the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and a certified laboratory in India confirmed that the rice met safety standards at the time of testing.
He further clarified that the best-before date for the rice was extended to April, as opposed to the December date requested by the manufacturer.
“Those three laboratory tests tell us that the product can still be used based on the qualities that have been tested in the three laboratories.
Based on that, the best-before date has been extended to April, not December as requested by the manufacturer. It was still safe,” Yaw-Bernie stated.
However, Ablakwa questioned the FDA’s transparency, pointing out that the rice was not re-bagged with the updated best-before date, leaving school administrators in the dark.
He expressed concerns that rice, often stored for extended periods, could easily be consumed after its updated expiry date.
“Even this so-called extension—why didn’t they state it on the re-bagged rice that it is approved until April 2024, so that the headmasters and matrons would know?” he asked.
Ablakwa also accused the FDA of bending to external pressures, allowing the expired rice to be distributed despite clear evidence that it should have been destroyed.
“You have an institution that is complicit. They didn’t make sure that the rice was destroyed. They didn’t stand by their original FDA examination results,” he asserted.
The MP called for harsh penalties for those involved, stressing that the perpetrators should face legal consequences for their actions.
“They were arm-twisted to change the results to allow this company, which appears untouchable, to pay only part of its fine and avoid prosecution as required by law,” he concluded.
