The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, has successfully settled the outstanding first-term arrears for caterers participating in the School Feeding Programme across all 16 regions.
This development marks a crucial milestone in bolstering the Ghana School Feeding Programme, which provides essential meals to students nationwide.
In an official statement released on July 1, the School Feeding Secretariat confirmed the completion of payments, stating, “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 clarified that a four-day deduction had been applied to the total owed amount. This adjustment was made to accommodate a mandated period for thorough cleaning and sanitation of kitchen facilities from October 3-6, 2023, in adherence to established health protocols.
“The total number of cooking days for the first term of the 2023/2024 academic year, which commenced on October 3, 2023, was 58. However, four days were deducted due to official communication instructing caterers to utilize October 3-6, 2023, for kitchen cleaning,” the statement explained.
The School Feeding Secretariat has urged caterers experiencing issues such as underpayment or non-payment to notify their Regional Coordinators promptly for swift resolution.
Acknowledging concerns raised by some caterers regarding recent payments, the Secretariat assured that grievances would be thoroughly investigated to determine the validity of claims.
“We encourage affected caterers to remain patient as we address these issues swiftly and fairly,” the Secretariat emphasized.
