The National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by its Regional Communication Officer, Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, has called out the Nana Addo-led government for its failure to pay caterers under the Ghana National School Feeding programme.
The delay in payments, according to the NDC, means that students in almost all schools captured under the feeding programme have not been fed since schools reopened.
“Since the resumption of public basic schools on January 9, 2024, for the second term of the 2024 academic year, caterers contracted under the program have failed to fulfill their contractual obligations, leaving innocent children without the nutritional support they depend on.”
“The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper East Region expresses deep concern over the deliberate and discriminatory actions taken by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, negatively impacting basic school students in the region who are being denied their daily one hot meal under the Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP). Since the resumption of public basic schools on January 9, 2024, for the second term of the 2024 academic year, caterers contracted under the program have failed to fulfill their contractual obligations, leaving innocent children without the nutritional support they depend on,” a statement signed by Mr. Abdallah Salifu said.
In line with this, the NDC has demanded that the government quickly release funds to ensure that caterers resume feeding children in schools.
“In light of these concerns, we call on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, specifically through the Ministry of Gender, Women, and Children and Social Protection, to take immediate and effective steps to ensure that caterers in the region promptly resume providing meals for the children under the Ghana School Feeding Program. We also implore all stakeholders in education to prioritize and actively advocate for increased budgetary allocation, improved teaching and learning resources, and comprehensive support for basic education. It is essential to recognize that basic education serves as the foundation upon which all other levels of education are anchored. Finally, the NDC remains committed to championing the rights of every child to quality education and a dignified life. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and work tirelessly to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to safeguard the educational well-being of our children,” the statement said.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
