The Ghana Voice,
Accra, Ghana
Jaman South Maize Controversy: NPP Accuses NDC Officials of Diversion, NDC Fires Back
The Ghana Voice 23-06-2025A heated political standoff is brewing in Jaman South as the two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), trade accusations over the alleged diversion of government-distributed maize intended for vulnerable farmers and households.
In a strongly worded press statement issued on Sunday, the NPP in Jaman South alleged that prominent NDC officials, including Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Hon. Siata Watara, Municipal Agric Director Mr. Kamache, NDC Constituency Chairman Mr. Bediako Paul Kofi (Chairman Hockey), and NDC Communications Officer Adongo Naaba, are implicated in the unlawful diversion of 800 bags of maize.
According to the NPP, the maize consignment—originally delivered ahead of the 2024 general elections but withheld from distribution to avoid vote-buying concerns—was intended to be distributed based on verified online farmer registrations and land measurements. Instead, the party claims the maize has been shared among NDC loyalists and even sold to poultry farmers for profit.
“This is a classic case of political greed, patronage, and exploitation of the vulnerable by NDC operatives in Jaman South,” the statement said.
“At a time when families are grappling with food insecurity, such misconduct is a betrayal of public trust.”
The release, signed by Omar Jabel, Antwi Haygan, and Adinkra Kusi, calls for immediate investigations by the Ghana Police Service, the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), and other oversight agencies.
NDC Responds: “Baseless Lies, Maize Still in Storage”
Shortly after the allegations surfaced, the NDC Jaman South swiftly issued a rebuttal, categorically denying the claims. In their counter statement, the NDC accused the NPP of spinning falsehoods to score political points and divert attention from their own past actions.
According to Adongo Naaba, NDC Communications Officer for Jaman South, the maize in question is still intact and has not been distributed. The party claims the NPP, after losing the 2024 election, attempted to distribute the maize to party foot soldiers, an action which the NDC says it stopped in the interest of fairness.
“When the NPP lost the election, they moved to share the maize among their party base led by Hon. Col Kwadwo Damoah, Hon. Andrews Bediako, and Hon. Henry Afful,” Naaba stated.
“We intervened and kept the maize at the Agric Directorate. It remains there till now, pending policy direction from the appointed Minister for Agriculture and MCE.”
The NDC urged the public to verify the situation at the Agric Directorate and described the NPP’s claims as “false, malicious, and desperate.”
What’s Next?
The controversy has sparked tension across the municipality, with residents and farmers calling for transparency and accountability. Civil society observers have suggested that an independent audit or joint stakeholder inspection of the maize consignment could help de-escalate the political back-and-forth.