RCC Sets up Committee to investigate sale of unwholesome maize

The Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) has set up a five-man committee under the Chairmanship of the Regional CEPS Commander to investigate how 250 bags of unwholesome maize that were declared by the Environment and Sanitation Unit of the RCC as not safe for human consumption got onto the market and sold at 2 Ghana cedis per bag.

In addition the RCC had issued a letter to the BNI to assist in investigation on how the unwholesome maize got onto the market. The issue came to light when the Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) in the Upper East Region, a youth organization that advocates the Development of Northern Ghana organized a press conference on August 16, condemning the RCC for not distributing the maize to the poor before they got spoilt and were sold on the market.

NORPRA also accused the RCC for the way and manner some dual desks and students beds meant for schools in the region were abandoned at the mercy of the weather to spoil in the yard of the Public Works Department (PWD) in the Region.

It again accused the RCC of keeping one hundred wheelchairs donated by one ,Mr. Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a cyclist to the physically challenged in the Region through the former Regional Minister, Mr. Boniface Gambila and not given to the people.

NORPRA also expressed its sentiments on the denial of awarding a furniture contract to the Small Scale Industries in the region. The RCC, through the Regional Minister, Mr. Alhassan Samari, at a press conference, explained that the maize were received during the administration of the former Regional Minister Mr. Boniface Gambila long before the onset of the flood that hit the in 2007 to be distributed to the needy as a result of the drought the hit the region.

He said unfortunately the authority at that time discovered that some of the maize (250 bags) were already growing mouldy and decided to put them aside but no disposal instructions were given.

He said when the administration's attention was drawn to it, it ordered the "Environmental and Sanitation Unit" to inspect them and give an advice. Accordingly, a condemnation certificate number EHU/UERF.C, 01 was issued on 18 July 2008 by the Chief Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Asamani Cletus, on the state of the food, recommending that the maize was not fit for human consumption but could be used for poultry and livestock.

He indicated that, the supply of the maize onto the open market as alleged should be condemned and investigated and said that was the RCC had set up a committee to investigate the matter and the appropriate sanctions would be effected against officials who would be found culpable.

On the issue of the dual desks, Mr. Samari, explained that they were stored in the PWD yard before his coming into office and said they were however distributed as far back in March last year to the various District Assemblies for their schools and said probably the assemblies delayed in carting them to their schools.

Mr. Fabian Belieb, the new Regional Director of Education, said he would make sure that the remaining furniture are dispatched to the beneficiary schools and the appropriate sanctions taken against those who were in-charge of making sure that they were conveyed to the schools.

With regards to the beds, the Minister explained that they were still knock-down parts and said the contractor who made those beds did not know the beneficiary schools and said he had now been provided with the distribution lists and was arranging for carpenters and vehicles to send them to the respective schools to be assembled.

On the wheel chairs issue, he explained that they were received during the tenure of the former Regional Minister, Mr. Gambila and said investigations revealed that there was no documentation covering them in the ledger books of the stores. He said this accounted for the delay in the distribution of the items to the target groups and that, plans have been put in place to have them assembled and given out to the deserving people.

He stated that with regards to the alleged unfair treatment and marginalization of the small scale industries in the region, tenders of the supply of furniture were often published in the national dailies in accordance with the Public Procurement Act for all interested suppliers to apply. He therefore appealed to the Small Scale Industries to always monitor the adverts in papers and buy tenders to apply.

Mr. Samari said that, it was rather unfortunate that NORPRA should jump to the conclusion that Government policy of bridging the North-South development gap was a "big joke".