The former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, has been charged with multiple criminal offences involving the alleged theft and misuse of over GH¢61 million in state funds earmarked for the Free Senior High School (SHS) feeding programme.
According to a charge sheet filed by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, Aludiba and Richard Sam-Asante, the company’s Head of Finance, are accused of conspiring to divert funds allocated for the purchase and supply of food items to schools across the country. Both were signatories to NAFCO’s operational account.
The prosecution’s investigation found that the two officials authorised the transfer of GH¢69,616,226.29 from NAFCO’s account to Sawtina Enterprise, a private company in which James Tieku-Apawu, a NAFCO Regional Manager, holds shares. Despite the disbursement being justified as payments for food supplies, only about 20 percent of the funds were reportedly used for legitimate procurement.
The Attorney-General’s office further alleged that Aludiba personally received over GH¢50 million from the scheme, resulting in substantial financial losses to the state. In addition to this, he is accused of diverting another GH¢10 million to companies owned by himself and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni.
The couple, along with Sam-Asante and two corporate entities — Aludiba Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, and Energy Partners Limited, where Aludiba reportedly holds an 80 percent stake — have been charged with 24 counts, including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, abuse of public office, and intentional dissipation of public funds.
The Attorney-General indicated that while Aludiba and other accused persons are expected to appear before the Accra High Court later this week, Sam-Asante is currently on the run.
Further findings revealed that between February 2017 and February 2019, NAFCO transferred GH¢5,495,748.36 to Aludiba Enterprise, a business owned by the former CEO, despite the company not being an authorised NAFCO supplier.
Another payment of GH¢251,050 was made in July 2022 to Energy Partners Limited, though the company had provided no goods or services to NAFCO.
Investigators also uncovered that GH¢4,401,831.58 was transferred to Alqarni Enterprise, a company registered in the name of Aludiba’s wife, under false claims of food supply deliveries.
Between February 2020 and November 2022, an additional GH¢13,213,501.52 was allegedly channelled into the bank account of Fa-Hausa Ventures, a business owned by Wuni with Aludiba as a signatory.
The funds, traced from NAFCO’s accounts through Sawtina Enterprise, were reportedly used to purchase several properties in Accra, Tamale, and other areas.
Investigators also reported that over GH¢161 million connected to the accused was invested in financial instruments and securities, allegedly for their personal benefit.
The Attorney-General’s office has completed its investigations and is set to commence criminal proceedings against the accused persons before the High Court.
