Parliament sets up ad-hoc committee to probe food shortages in schools

The Speaker of Parliament has constituted an ad-hoc body of five parliamentary committees to probe the activities of the National Food Buffer Stock Company and the National School Feeding Programme.

The mandate of the committees among others is to look into the feasibility and sustainability of the organisations, especially in recent times when there are reports of food shortage in Senior High Schools and the demand from school feeding caterers for an increment in the cost of feeding students.

The Speaker gave these directives in Parliament after visiting the organisations on the 23rd of July 2022.

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“Let me once more reiterate that the School Feeding Programme provides great potential. It is therefore critical that we address issues regarding the efficient implementation of the programme while instituting measures to avert a possible occurrence in the future.”

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Schools in the Upper West Region last week warned that Senior High Schools in the region may soon shut down if the government fails to supply them with adequate foodstuff to feed students.

“It came out that the food suppliers contracted by Buffer Stock Company and those local suppliers contacted to help out are all refusing to supply due to non-payment of outstanding monies owed for food supplied to the schools. This has led to serious food shortages in all the schools in the region. In fact, an assessment of the situation indicated that most schools cannot go beyond one week if nothing urgent is done about it,” a statement from the Upper West branch of CHASS complained.

The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbornu took on the government regarding the food shortages.

Mr, Carbonu said the current centralized system that authorises only the National Buffer Stock to distribute food to Senior High Schools has largely contributed to food shortages in various schools.

He believes a decentralization of food distribution to Senior High Schools, will address these challenges.

Source: CNR