Thieves have reportedly raided the warehouse of the Techiman Metropolitan Department of Agriculture, making off with nearly 98,603 bags of rice along with large quantities of fertilizer.
The stolen items included 2.5kg bags of rice and two types of fertiliser: 4,447 bags of MP4 (5kg each) and 3,150 bags of Urea (also 5kg). The incident is said to have occurred about a week after the December 7 general elections.
Madam Grace Obeng Amenya, the Stock Officer for the Department, disclosed in an interview that the supplies were intended for farmers in the area who had been affected by drought.
“We received these items a week before the elections for distribution to drought-stricken farmers. But just before the polls, we were informed that unknown individuals had stormed the warehouse and taken everything,” she recounted.
Madam Amenya added that the intruders broke the warehouse’s original padlocks and replaced them with new ones. The matter has since been reported to the police.
A regional investigative team was later dispatched, and upon breaking into the facility, they confirmed that the goods had indeed been stolen.
Stephen Aidoo, the Metropolitan Director of Agriculture in Techiman, also confirmed the incident, noting that investigations are still underway but no arrests have yet been made.
