Govt Covertly Suspends School Feeding Program in Upper East- NDC Alleges
The Upper East Regional chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the government of surreptitiously suspended the school feeding program in the region.
According to the party regional communication bureau, the government has neglected the region in fulfilling its contractual obligation to the caterers that provide food to pupil in basic schools in the entire region.
A statement dated Tuesday, January 23, 2024, and copied to EXPRESSNEWSGHANA, the NDC said school children in basic schools in the region have not been fed the daily meals by the caterers, a situation, the party confirm its suspicion that the government has covertly suspended the program in the region.
The party further attributed government failure to honour its financial obligation to the contracted caterers to uncontrolled corruption, insensitivity and incompetence by the Akufo-Addo led New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
“This blatant negligence and failure to meet financial obligations by the government is nothing short of cruelty. It reflects incompetence, corruption, ineptitude, and recklessness in managing state resources. The consequences of these actions are severe, directly impacting the well-being and educational experience of the most vulnerable members of our society –the children,” the Upper East Regional NDC alleged.
Below is the Full Statement
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (NDC), UPPER EAST REGIONAL COMMUNICATION BUREAU, CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT’s NEGLECT OF THE GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM IN THE REGION: URGENT CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper East Region expresses deep concern over the deliberate and discriminatory actions taken by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, negatively impacting basic school students in the region who are being denied their daily one hot meal under the Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP). Since the resumption of public basic schools on January 9, 2024, for the second term of the 2024 academic year, caterers contracted under the program have failed to fulfill their contractual obligation, leaving innocent children without the nutritional support they depend on.
Our investigations across all districts in the region reveal that this issue is widespread, affecting not only the Upper East Region but also the northern regions of Ghana. Caterers, who are essential stakeholders in this program, attribute their noncompliance to several months of arrears owed to them by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government. Shockingly, some caterers reiterated they have not been paid for over three school terms, highlighting the dire financial situation faced by those responsible for preparing meals for school children.
This blatant negligence and failure to meet financial obligations by the government is nothing short of cruelty. It reflects incompetence, corruption, ineptitude, and recklessness in managing state resources. The consequences of these actions are severe, directly impacting the well-being and educational experience of the most vulnerable members of our society – the children.
Furthermore, the government’s disregard for basic education is evident in its overall approach towards providing quality education. Reports from Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), a non-governmental Civil Society Organization, indicate a significant increase in the percentage of pupils without desks, reaching as high as 80% in the North East, the home region of Vice President Dr. Mahamud Bawumia. In some cases, parents are forced to pay for desks because there are none provided by the government. Basic school children in deprived districts lack essential materials such as exercise books, uniforms, and workbooks, further hindering their ability to learn. Textbooks have become a luxury that only a few fortunate students can access.
Moreover, capitation grants and feeding grants for special schools have been in arrears for almost two years. Shockingly, the budgetary allocation for basic education, as a percentage of the pre-tertiary discretionary budget, has declined from 30% to a mere 10% since 2017.
The Ghana School Feeding Program, aligned with the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program Pillar 3, aims to enhance food security and reduce hunger, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on hunger, poverty, and malnutrition. The neglect of this program at this critical time jeopardizes the goals of increasing school enrollment, attendance, and retention, reducing hunger, malnutrition, and boosting domestic food production. Failure to address these issues promptly will inevitably lead to a high dropout rate, increased absenteeism, and worsened malnutrition, with far-reaching implications on education outcomes and the overall quality of education.
In light of these concerns, we call on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, specifically through the Ministry of Gender, Women, and Children and Social Protection, to take immediate and effective steps to ensure that caterers in the region promptly resume providing meals for the children under the Ghana School Feeding Program.
We also implore all stakeholders in education to prioritize and actively advocate for increased budgetary allocation, improved teaching and learning resources, and comprehensive support for basic education. It is essential to recognize that basic education serves as the foundation upon which all other levels of education are anchored.
Finally, the NDC remains committed to championing the rights of every child to quality education and a dignified life. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and work tirelessly to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to safeguard the educational well-being of our children.
———-ENDS———-
Signed
Jonathan Abdalla Salifu
(RCO)
Source: expressnewsghana.com
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