Government through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has settled the outstanding payments for caterers under the School Feeding Programme in all 16 regions, covering the first term arrears.
This move is a significant step towards supporting the Ghana School Feeding Programme and ensuring the continued provision of meals to students across the country.
The School Feeding Secretariat in a statement issued on Monday said, “The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has paid the first term arrears of Caterers under the Programme in all the 16 regions.”
The ministry explained that a four-day deduction was made from the total amount owed, as caterers were instructed via official communication to utilise the period from October 3-6, 2023, for thorough cleaning and sanitisation of their kitchen facilities, in accordance with established protocols
“The total number of cooking days for the first term of the 2023/2024 academic year which began on October 3, 2023, was 58.
“However, four days were deducted from the total amount due to official communication instructing caterers to use October 3-6, 2023 to clean up their kitchen environment. As a result, the official cooking days for the term commenced on October 9, 2023.”
The Ghana National School Feeding Secretariat has directed caterers with issues of underpayment or no payment to immediately report to their Regional Coordinators for prompt redress.
“Meanwhile, the attention of the National Secretariat of the Ghana School Feeding Programme has been drawn to some lurid complaints from some of our cherished Caterers across the 16 regions over alleged underpayments resulting from the recent payment
“The National Secretariat has therefore directed that all Caterers who genuinely have such issues of underpayment or no payment should immediately report to their Regional Coordinators for prompt redress.
“The issues would be thoroughly investigated to ascertain whether all the affected Caterers cooked throughout the term or they were rather affected by non-cooking days’ deductions.”
The National Secretariat therefore urged the caterers to remain calm whilst they make the necessary efforts to address the issues.