The leadership of the Greater Accra School Feeding Caterers Association insists that their caterers would not return to schools to cook until their arrears are paid by government.

According to Madame Juliana Cudjoe, the president of the association, they’re still in waiting for their last academic year grants.

Interviewed by the Ghana News Agency(GNA), Madame Juliana Cudjoe revealed that she has held a meeting with the managers and moderators of the School Feeding Program and hence expectant of a positive feedback.

“We are requesting for payment of at least the third term of last year to enable us pay some of our debts,” she stressed.

Meanwhile, she says no caterer would step foot in any school to cook for the children because they are going through harsh economic challenges.

She also hinted that, the association is also expecting the government to bring an increment on board. According they are demanding an increment in their charge per child from 97 pesewas to GH¢3 to meet rising costs of food stuff.

Other school authorities including the a caterer at Teshie Laboma Presbyterian School; Mr. Kwaku Frimpong have endorsed the call and says they needed to withdraw their services to press home their demands.

BACKGROUND

The School Feeding programme (SFP) is a Government of Ghana initiative that constitutes the provision of prepared and served meals in schools with the aim of increasing enrolment, preventing starvation and improving nutrition.

It started in 2005 as an initiative of the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) Pillar 3 which sought to enhance food security and reduce hunger in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on hunger, poverty and malnutrition.

However, the programme has recently become infamous with citizens questioning its quality and caterers hitting the streets to demand for their pays.