The number of Schools that were benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding Program in West Akyem Municipality of the Eastern Region has increased from 15 in 2016 to 35 in 2019.
According to Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Lower West Akyem Constituency, Mr. Addo Kwasi Annor,30 Caterers have been engaged and each caterer employs at least two cooks.
In an interview with mybrytfmonline.com reporter, Kofi Atakora, the Communications Director, who doubles as Municipal Director of NADMO said beneficiaries could be increased if Ghanaians give the NPP administration another four-year term in office.
Mr. Addo Annor has commended the government for introducing Food Supply to caterers who were facing a financial challenge in pre-financing.
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has begun the distribution of food items to caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) across the country.
The items include Ghana Rice (50kg), Cooking Oil (25 liters), Tin Tomatoes and Texturized Soy Protein (TSP) which are all sourced from local farmers and processed by local companies.
The caterers will no longer have to contract huge loans from the banks to pre-finance the cooking but will receive the food items on credit from GSFP and pay back only when the Government releases their payment.
The distribution began in some regions as a result of an agreement the Ministry reached with the National Buffer Stock Company Limited for the supply of these items.
According to the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, the food supply is ultimately meant to relieve the Caterers from the huge financial burden involved in pre-financing or procuring food items for the preparation of meals for the school children.
She said the Caterers, hitherto, used to procure food items by themselves from different suppliers and markets at different prices, which accounted for over 80% of their total income.
Source: Kofi Atakora
