Police arrest AWASO STEM SHS matron and cook over alleged theft of students’ food at SHS

Two staff members at one of the STEM senior high schools (SHS) at Awaso in the Western North Region have been arrested by the police over a suspected theft of large amounts of food meant for students on December 23, 2025, following intelligence received by the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipal Chief Executive on the night of December 22, 2025.

The police said further investigations show that Bennedicta Nyamadi, a matron, and Rahel Kyeremateng, a cook, were acting together to remove the items from the food store of the (SHS) school so that they could keep them at the residence of Kyeremateng, intending to sell them at a later time.

The items that were retrieved included 40 large tins of tomato paste, four cartons of milk, six gallons of cooking oil, 54 tins of canned mackerel, 21 bags of rice weighing 50 kilograms each, four sacks of gari, two sacks of maize, one and a half bags of millet, one bag of sugar, and three bags of beans.

 

Police said the total value of the items is yet to be determined. In the course of questioning, Kyeremateng said Nyamadi was the source of the food items. Due to that, Nyamadi was arrested at the school premises.

The police stated that they are searching for Hannah Dufie, who is an assistant matron, and this is because she is believed to have been involved but is currently on the run.

The Ghana Police has initiated a manhunt to arrest the rest of the syndicate suspected to be engaged in the stealing of food supplies to the school.

Prior to the incident, the Ministry of Education informed the general public of unannounced visitation to schools to help catch persons suspected of stealing food items from schools.

READ: GES condemns alleged AWASO STEM SHS food theft

It believes the surprise visits and intensified security checks and record keeping at all levels will help deal with all forms of food supply diversions, which cost the government and result in reduced student feeding.