The National Food Suppliers Association has served notice that its members will resume the indefinite occupation of the premises of the National Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) on Thursday if monies owed them are not paid.
According to them, they would bring along their families and debtors to the premises this time around.
“If after Thursday we don’t receive our money, I want to bring to notice here that we will resume our picketing and when we get there, we will not listen to any advice from any Honourable member. We’ll come back with our families, our dependents and our creditors. It is going to be more massive than what we saw earlier,” a representative of the group noted.
He added that “the whole of Thursday, we will bring in our bags, bring everything to buffer stock, failure to pay our money, we will sleep.”
The group suspended an earlier action after the Education Ministry disclosed that it has made a total payment of GH₵400 million to the Buffer Stock Company as of January 2023.
The Agric Minister, Bryan Acheampong, also promised that all validated claims will be settled by July 17.
But, the group noted that no payment has been received, hence the reminder to the government.
According to them, they would not accept part payment of the outstanding debts and are willing to stay at NAFCO premises until all arrears are cleared.
In an interview on Joy FM’s Newsnight on Monday, the spokesperson of the Food Suppliers Association, Koku Amedume, said payment has been long overdue.
According to him, some members set out to meet the sector Minister over the delays, adding that the Minister provided proof that monies were released later in the afternoon of July 17.
“He showed letters to the effect of disbursement he made today, so later on Wednesday or Thursday, we will be getting some feedback, but we always want to drive home that we are expecting the full payment of the money.”
He nonetheless noted that the picketing will resume if payments are not made by Thursday. Meanwhile, the Agric Ministry has refused to comment on the matter.