A member of the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, has expressed concern about the over two years’ arrears owed to the National Food Suppliers Association for supplies made to various schools.
According to him, if the arrears are not paid by the end of the week schools may likely close down.
“From what I know, the amount owed them is not even in excess of GHS300 million. So what has the government been doing with the money that Parliament has been approving year in and year out to finance the Free SHS policy?”
The Builsa South Member of Parliament (MP) stated that failure to pay the arrears will mean that the suppliers will no longer be in a position to supply food to the schools.
Dr Apaak called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ensure that the arrears owed the suppliers are paid to enable them to stay in business.
“I truly don’t understand what the problem is, we have been told that even with the IMF programme critical sectors like education and health and indeed social intervention programmes are protected, so if that is the case why has the government failed to release money so that the Buffer Stock Food suppliers will be paid?” he quizzed.
“The President ought to step up to the plate and do the needful so that we don’t have schools closed down by the end of this week if nothing is done. If nothing is done by the end of this week, mark my words, schools will be closed down because the suppliers are no longer in a position to supply food,” he said on Accra-based TV3.
Food suppliers from different parts of the country besieged the premises of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO)on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in an attempt to drum home their demands, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
The suppliers laid on the floor at NAFCO’s premises as a sign of protest and spent the night there on their cloth and mats which they carried along.
A spokesperson for the suppliers, Kwaku Amedume, has vowed they will continue their picketing until their monies are paid as they are being chased away by their creditors from their homes.
According to him, their situation has become a serious national security issue that requires immediate attention.
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