The Upper East Regional Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), Richard Akumbase, has indicated that since the beginning of the year, several educational institutions have found themselves grappling with a severe shortage of essential food supplies, including groundnut, Gari, rice, and bread flour.
Mr. Akumbase expressed deep concern over the situation, emphasizing the vital role these provisions play in sustaining the daily nutritional needs of students and staff.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Daybreak Upper East Show, Mr. Akumbase explained that the scarcity of these staples not only jeopardizes the well-being of the school community but also hampers the effective functioning of educational institutions.
According to him, some local food suppliers were reluctant to fulfill their commitments to providing these crucial food items.
“Some suppliers, because they are also looking at how to make a profit, are running away from food items that are in scarcity like Gari, which most of the schools do not have, yet they are loading the schools with beans. The reason is simple; this is the season of beans. It is bad.”
The absence of groundnut, Gari, and bread flour has left school authorities scrambling to find alternative sources, disrupting the regular flow of meals within schools.
“Of course, this, in turn, will raise concerns about the nutritional adequacy of meals served to students, potentially impacting their health and academic performance.”
Mr. Akumbase has called for urgent intervention from relevant authorities to address the issue promptly.
He emphasized the need for a collaborative effort between education officials and local suppliers to identify and rectify the challenges hindering the delivery of essential food items to schools.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga
