SHS food items Distribution
The Ghanaian government is set to begin distributing food items to schools after successfully evacuating stock from warehouses. This initiative aims to address food shortages in various educational institutions across the country.
A delegation led by Dr. Clement Apaak, the Member of Parliament for Builsa South, along with Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the MP for Akatsi North, has been touring food warehouses in Tema. Their goal is to oversee the evacuation and distribution process. This action follows a directive from President John Dramani Mahama, who instructed the Chief of Staff and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that food supplies are delivered to schools in need.
Dr. Apaak, who has a background in education as a former Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, reassured parents and the public during the warehouse tour. He stated that distribution would commence immediately after evacuation. “We want to assure Ghanaians and parents that we are working closely with the Ministry of Education, CHASS, and GES to implement the President’s directive,” he said.
The distribution plan includes over 900 public secondary schools, with the first deliveries to schools in Greater Accra starting immediately. Other regions will follow, with the aim that all schools will receive their consignment of rice within the week. A total of 139,872 bags of rice are set to be distributed, providing essential sustenance for the upcoming month.
In a significant policy shift, Dr. Apaak announced that the National Food Buffer Stock Company will no longer be responsible for procuring and supplying food items to schools. Instead, the Ministry of Finance will soon release funds directly to school heads. This will allow them to procure food from suppliers independently. Dr. Apaak emphasized that this new arrangement is designed to ensure that students receive nutritious meals while eliminating unnecessary intermediaries.
The decision to decentralize food procurement is an important step in addressing ongoing food shortages and improving the quality of meals served in schools. Dr. Apaak noted that after discussions between various government bodies, funding has been secured to support this initiative.
