Accra: The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Minority Caucus in Parliament has demanded urgent clarification from the government regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement of sanitary pads for schoolgirls. The caucus raised concerns that the process lacked transparency and may not have delivered value for money.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Minority highlighted discrepancies in the figures and contracts surrounding the initiative, which they argue could undermine public trust and accountability. They have called on the government to provide a detailed explanation to Parliament and the public, stressing that such essential interventions must be handled with integrity to ensure that resources reach the vulnerable groups they are intended to support.
Mr. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the NPP Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, stated during a press conference at Parliament House that the implied cost per pack would be approximately 44 Ghana cedis. This raises concerns about value for money, especially considering the average market price of a sanitary pad pack is around 15 Ghana cedis. The government's own figures allegedly showed that 12.2 million pads were procured at a cost of GHS 292 million, translating to GHS 24 per pad, while a local manufacturer submitted a tender with a price of GHS 20 per pad, indicating potential overpricing by the government.
Mr. Assafuah, speaking on behalf of the Minority, demanded transparency on procurement, contracts, and costs. He sought answers to several questions, including who submitted tenders, which companies were awarded contracts, the criteria used to select vendors, and safeguards in place to ensure fairness and competitive pricing. The Minority noted inconsistencies in the government's response, with three different accounts in the public domain, raising concerns over paying more than market prices, non-reconciling beneficiary numbers, and undistributed pads.
On Wednesday, Dr. Clement Apaak, the Deputy Minister for Education, denied allegations of corruption and scandal surrounding the procurement of sanitary pads for schoolgirls, describing the claims of pads being sold at GHS45 as 'chop bar arithmetic.' The NPP Minority Caucus had accused the government of profligate spending under the Free Sanitary Pads policy for schoolgirls in basic and senior high schools.
Mr. Assafuah cited figures from the 2025 and 2026 budget statements to back the Caucus' concerns, suggesting the government procured each pack at about GHS45, far above the prevailing market price. The Free Sanitary Pad Policy in Ghana, launched in April 2025, aims to provide free sanitary pads to schoolgirls nationwide to improve menstrual hygiene, reduce absenteeism, and promote gender equality.
Dr. Apaak, responding to the Minority's claims, explained that the cost of transportation and distribution had been factored into the procurement process, accounting for the variation in prices. He emphasized that the government had distributed 3.9 million packs of sanitary pads to students in 20,744 public basic schools and 2.6 million packs to girls in secondary and T-VET institutions. The Deputy Minister provided statistics to support the government's transparency and accountability, stating that 2.5 million female students from primary 5 to senior high school had benefited from the program. He attributed the allegations to a 'desperate attempt' to create a scandal and discredit the government, asserting that the NDC under President John Dramani Mahama and the Ministry of Education had not procured a pack of sanitary pads at GHS45 and would never do so.