Caterers under the government’s school feeding programme in the Ashanti Region have dismissed claims in a recent Auditor General’s report indicting the caterers of preparing unwholesome food for pupils.
The report also added GH¢2.3m
The latest performance report by the Auditor-General, reveals that caterers were overpaid by GH¢ 2.3 million between 2017-2022.
The report also disclosed that some of the food prepared for the pupils is unwholesome, as some caterers use rotten ingredients.
Speaking at a News conference in Kumasi however, the caterers argued that the report is inaccurate, stressing that, despite the insufficient amount they are paid per child, they strive to make sure the food prepaid is healthy and nutritious for the pupils.
Although they admit the quantity is not enough, they attribute it to the meagre amount that is paid per child.
They are thus disappointed that rather than being applauded, their efforts are being unappreciated.
While correcting what they describe as some misinformation, the caterers have urged the auditor general to conduct another investigation into the matter as they are rather underpaid and have not received any overpayments as the secretariat owes some of the caterers’ arrears as far back as 2017.
Dorothy Ofori Sarpong is the Secretary of the Progressive School Feeding Caterers Association of Ghana.
“We agree with the report stating that the quantity of food served is inadequate because of the money involved. The secretariat has not overpaid any caterer but rather owing some of the caterers since 2017 till date. We are pleading with the auditor general to reinvestigate this, also the public has misinformation about the procurement of the caterers cooking for the basics schools under the school feeding program.
“Some of the public are accusing the caterers of stealing the foodstuffs supplied by the government to cook for the children. We are setting the records straight the caterers do pre-finance the cooking for the whole year, but the payment is done termly within the year by the school feeding secretariat under the gender ministry. The government does not supply any food items for the caterers to use in cooking for the children. every school has been attached to a coordinator or coordinator who goes around unannounced to inspect and taste the food,” she said.
They are also appealing to benevolent individuals and organizations to support the government to improve the quality of food.
“Although the amount involved per child is insufficient, the caterers are all mothers and will never and ever use unwholesome foodstuff to cook for the children because the caterers eat the same food including some of the teachers. On this note, we are therefore appealing to the NGOs and philanthropies across the world to come to the aid of the government to improve the school feeding program,” she stated.
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