After several calls on government to release funds to pay arrears owed some school feeding caterers in the country, it has released a sum of GH₵31million to settle their arrears.
President Akufo Addo who made the announcement on a Takoradi-based radio, Skyypower FM during his second-day tour of the Western Region, said the move has become necessary due to the challenges these caterers have been going through particularly those at the Western and Western North regions.
“I am happy to announce that payments have been made to caterers in all the regions. It is true that caterers in the Western and Western North were not paid due to insufficient funds. That has been resolved. The Ministry of Finance has released GH₵31 million cedis for the payment of caterers,” he stated.
Background
On August 24, 2021, Government through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection disbursed an amount of GH¢160 million out of the GH¢213 million required to pay caterers of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) for the 1st term of the 2021 academic year.
This payment excluded the caterers of the Western and Western North regions.
According to the government, payment did not include “some regions such as the Western and Western North regions due to limited funds”,
However, President Akufo Addo’s statement comes at a time when the Ghana National School Feeding Caterers Association (GNSFCA) has appealed to the government to increase the feeding fees by 50%. Thus, from GH¢1.00 to GH¢1.50 pesewas.
They say the current grant is unable to cater for much in the current economy.
Public Relations Officer of GNSFCA, Caroline Aboagye, who made the call at a press conference in Accra, said, the increase would go a long way to help the caterers prepare sumptuous and more nutritious meals for the pupils.