Executive Director of the Africa Education Watch Kofi Asare has revealed that the real reason for food shortages in senior high schools across the country is that suppliers of food are broke due to Government’s inability to defray debts it owes them.
The suppliers, he said, are owed in excess of GHC 320 million.
Reports of inadequate food in senior high schools have left parents and guardians worried with authorities of the Upper West threatening to close down schools on July 15, if the problem is not addressed.
For Mr Asare, the real cause of the food challenges in the schools is the inability of the Ministry of Finance to release money for the payment of food suppliers.
“Government owes fSHS food suppliers over GHC 320 million, with some dating as far as September 2021.
Most of these suppliers are simply broke, the reason there is always a cycle of food shortage in some SHS. The current food inflation situation is compounding the situation.
Clearly, the issue is a Ministry of Finance (MoF) one. Citizens, media must rather be asking Uncle Ken why MoF is unable to disburse the GHC 2 billion fSHS cash according to the disbursement plan,” Mr Asare said.
Mr Asare is also afraid that the Government may be unable to release money as planned, further compounding the problem.
“Until MoF is able to disburse fSHS funds on schedule, which i don’t see happening in the medium-term, the cycle of food shortages in SHS will regrettably, become a culture like the Capitation Grant delays,” he added.
Mr Asare wants parents and guardians to take the feeding of their children into their hands.
“I advise parents to provide adequate food for their children in SHS.
When policy measures fail, household measures must kick in.
This is the reality!” He asserted.
Ashantibiz
