Caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) on Wednesday night picketed at the residence of the President in Nima, over what they claim is the refusal of the government to pay their arrears.
The women who are blaming the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Cynthia Mamle Morrison for refusing to pay heed to their plight said, they were willing to sleep at the residence of the president till their needs are met.
“I brought my mattress and pillow. We are waiting for Morrison [Cynthia Morrison] in front of President Akufo-Addo house. We are suffering,” one caterer said.
According to the women, they have to pay bank loans they took to pre-finance activities under the initiative and the refusal of the government to pay them is making it difficult for them to service the loans.
One of the aggrieved caterers described it as unfair feeding children under the programme while her family bears the brunt.
“How can I be using my money to cook for other children when my children starving. My payment has been delayed for one and a half years. They claim there was a mistake in the figures involving my payment.” The visibly distraught woman said.
She went on to say; “It is not the fault of the President. He should sack the minister… She has never convened a meeting with us since she assumed office. Everyone is afraid to call her out for fear of stigmatisation.”
Another caterer expressed worry over a mistake, she claims, was made in the issuance of her e-zwich card which is yet to be rectified months after her complaints, leaving her without her funds.
Reports from the Auditor-General’s department in 2018 revealed several financial irregularities and multiple registrations as well as ghost schools, which have led to huge financial losses to the state in the management of the programme.
In the report, as many as 81 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and the management were blamed for the mismanagement of the programme.
It claimed these 81 MDAs of declared only GH¢194,383.00 from an amount of GH¢1.09 million reportedly realised from the sale of 21,880 application forms sold to caterers who applied for contracts.
This means, as much as GH¢899,617 from the sale of application forms is unaccounted for and has been outstanding since 2017.
The caterers were forced by the police to discontinue their picketing after a few minutes, on the basis of lack of prior notice for their demonstration.
They, however, promised to seek the necessary clearance and notification and come back in full force on Thursday.
