Expired food items to flood victims was our mistake – NADMO

The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), has taken responsibility for the distribution of some expired food items to flood victims in the Upper West Region.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), first brought the issue to the public’s attention at a press conference in Wa on Tuesday.

The Upper West Regional branch of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has since confirmed to Citi News it received reports suggesting that some recipients indeed complained of being sick after consuming some of the food items.

Communications Director for NADMO, George Ayisi on Eyewitness News described the development as a “mistake” on the part of NADMO.

Narrating circumstances that led to the incident, Mr. Ayisi said: “We came here to help bring relief to the people. Unfortunately when we were offloading the items onto the vehicle, we had some expired items that had been stored in the warehouse in Wa, and some of the loaders unfortunately picked some boxes, and added them to the items that were being loaded, and that is why we had this problem.”

Items not purchased by Bawumia

Earlier reports had suggested that the Vice President supplied these items.

Speaking to Citi News, Northern Regional NADMO Coordinator, Isaac Seidu, said subsequent investigations by his office established that some of the food items which formed part of the supplies from the Vice President had indeed expired.

At the press conference held in Wa, the Upper West Regional Communications Officer of the NDC, Prosper Puo-Ire, flanked by some regional executives, said “after several complaints from some of the victims, we noticed with shock and dismay, right after the donation that the items were expired products given to them”.

He added that “today, the love for kingly power and it’s associated glamour has blinded Dr. Bawumia to our plight and further hardened his heart to the extent that he serves our people with expired food items at their times of vulnerability and sincere need”.

NADMO later in a statement, however refuted  reports indicating that the items were from the Vice President, saying “all items distributed to the three Northern Regions were not purchased by the Vice President’s office, but were all supplied from the NADMO.

“NADMO takes full responsibility for the said mistakes, and assures the general public that no such unfortunate incident will recur, “the statement added.

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Source: citinewsroom.com/Ghana