Some senior high schools(SHSs) in the Greater Accra Region are on the brink of a financial crisis after their accounts with the Bank of Ghana(BoG) were reportedly emptied.
This has left them unable to purchase essential supplies or feed students.
This was disclosed by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS).
Speaking to JoyNews, CHASS President Rev. Fr. Stephen Owusu Sekyere narrated how the situation came about.
“The Greater Accra Regional Chairman informed me that several schools in the region have had their accounts swept and are in red. Upon further investigation, I reached out to the Deputy Director-General and the Financial Controller of the Ghana Education Service (GES), both of whom confirmed the situation. I also contacted the Director of Finance at the Ministry of Finance, who likewise verified that the affected schools’ accounts with the Bank of Ghana had been depleted,” he stated.
In January 2025, many senior high schools nationwide faced food shortages, prompting the government to release about GHS200 million as an emergency intervention to help schools procure food supplies. However the schools have not been able to pay food suppliers.
Rev. Father Owusu Sekyere noted that cheques issued to food suppliers have bounced due to insufficient funds in school accounts.
“I’m not sure exactly how much money has been withdrawn from the accounts, but the funds disbursed by the government to address food shortages should be available in these school accounts.
“These funds were specifically allocated for procuring food items, and schools are expected to use them to pay suppliers. However, with no money in the accounts, issued cheques are bouncing, leaving the schools unable to fulfill their financial obligations,” he explained.
He warned that the situation could severely impact the daily operations of the affected schools.
He, therefore, called on the Ghana Education Service and the Bank of Ghana to ensure the immediate restoration of the funds to prevent further disruptions in school operations.
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