A scientific report produced by Dr Samuel Akoto Bamford, a Principal Research Scientist at the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, has challenged the credibility of a report authored by Kwartey Papafio of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) on Lithovit fertilizer.
Dr. Samuel Akoto Bamford, a PhD holder in Technical Physics, testified in the High Court in Accra yesterday as the ninth Defense Witness (DW9) in the ongoing trial involving former Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) Chief Executive (CE), Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, and two others.
In his testimony, Dr. Bamford described the GSA’s first report, prepared by Kwartey Papaafioo, as lacking scientific rigour.
He argued that the methodology and standards used were unsuitable for fertilizer analysis, making the report unreliable.
Methodological Disputes
Dr. Bamford highlighted critical flaws in the GSA’s 1st report, including its reliance on GS 175:2017, a standard for analysing drinking water, rather than the Ghana Analytical Fertilizer Manual (GFAM), which complies with the Plants and Fertilizer Act, 2010 (Act 803).
He explained that water and fertilizer differ in composition, parameters and regulatory specifications, and thus require distinct analytical techniques.
“The KwarteyPapaafioo report cited a standard for drinking water. Water and fertilizer are not the same kind of samples, so you cannot use a procedure for analysing water for fertilizer without significant modifications,” Dr. Bamford stated.
He also criticised the analytical techniques in the report as “unclear and ambiguous,” noting that the results only measured three parameters – calcium, magnesium and urea – which are insufficient for determining the quality of a fertilizer.
In contrast, Dr. Bamford endorsed the second report from the Material Science Laboratory of the GSA, which forms the basis of the defense’s case.
According to him, this report employed proper scientific techniques, in line with the GFAM and analysed a broader range of parameters, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients.
“The Material Science report is based on prescribed methods for fertilizer analysis, and its results are reliable. It identified the sample as a fertilizer based on sufficient and scientifically sound parameters,” he said.
Dr. Bamford’s testimony casts doubt on the prosecution’s reliance on the GSA report to support allegations against Dr. Opuni, businessman Seidu Agongo, and Agricult Ghana Limited. He urged the court, presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh, to disregard the GSA 1st report due to its lack of scientific grounding.
Charges
Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, and Seidu Agongo were charged in March 2018 for allegedly causing a financial loss of over GH¢271 million to the Republic through a series of fertilizer procurement transactions during Dr. Opuni’s tenure.
Both accused have denied all 24 charges leveled against them.The trial continues on January 21, 2025.
