The Minister-designate for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has pledged to address the persistent payment delays faced by caterers under the government’s school feeding program.
Her assurance follows rising concerns about unpaid arrears and the declining quality of meals provided to schoolchildren.
Speaking during her vetting by the Appointments Committee on Wednesday, January 22, Naa Momo promised to tackle these challenges and ensure the program’s effective implementation.
“Our manifesto clearly outlines our goal to resolve the bottlenecks in school feeding and capitation grants. We even plan to extend the program to private schools,” she revealed.
Naa Momo stated that while payments for approximately 40 days have been made, arrears for 31 days remain outstanding.
She expressed her commitment to resolving these issues promptly.
The Minister-designate highlighted her collaborative approach, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement to achieve sustainable solutions.
“One of my strengths is fostering dialogue with all involved to achieve lasting outcomes. With payments already initiated, I am confident that the president is committed to not only sustaining the program but also ensuring the quality of food is upheld,” she affirmed.
Naa Momo reiterated her dedication to improving the program’s efficiency and ensuring that the nutritional needs of schoolchildren are met.
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