Deputy Minister of Education Dr Clement Apaak has strongly dismissed claims by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Asafuah, suggesting that the ministry procured sanitary pads for junior high school (JHS) and senior high school (SHS) students at a unit cost of GH₵45.

In a detailed clarification, Dr Apaak described the claims as “false and misleading,” insisting that the ministry’s approved budget and actual distribution records showed no such inflated pricing.

According to him, Parliament approved GH₵292 million for the procurement of 12,208,340 packs of sanitary pads under the government’s menstrual hygiene support programme. 

The ministry, he explained, executed the procurement in two batches, all falling within a price range between GH₵19 and GH₵24 per pack, far below the GH₵45 alleged.

“There is no GH₵45 anywhere. The facts are clear. The pads distributed so far cost between GH₵19 and GH₵24 per pack. Transport and distribution costs must not be misconstrued as inflated procurement,” Dr Apaak emphasised.

The first batch of 6.6 million packs, each containing 12 pieces, was fully distributed to schools, while the second batch of 5.6 million packs is undergoing distribution. Dr Apaak stressed that the ministry has maintained transparency throughout the process and accused critics of distorting figures to mislead the public.

He further argued that such misinformation risks undermining a programme designed to support adolescent girls, especially those in underserved communities.

Dr Apaak called on policymakers, the media and the public to verify facts before making claims during budget debates, adding that “sanitary pads for girls should never become a tool for political point-scoring.”

The ministry of education says distribution of the remaining consignments is ongoing and pledges continued transparency in delivering menstrual hygiene support nationwide.