It's not right, fair for caterers to prepare meals several times without getting paid – Clement Apaak

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has said it is unfair for the government to owe caterers under the school feeding program despite the allocation of over 900 million Ghana cedis.

According to him, some of these caterers are owing banks, and these creditors are pursuing them for their monies.

He said, aside from the above, how does the government expect anyone to be able to perform magic by preparing efficient meals?

Speaking in an interview with TV3, he said, "It is not right and fair to have them continue to prepare meals several times without getting paid. Many of them have taken loans and their creditors are pursuing them. Is it not surprising that year after year, the government would list the school feeding program under the government's flagship program? For this year in question, a whopping 959 million have been allocated and yet these women are not being paid. It is not the issue of the areas but how do we expect anyone to be able to perform magic with by preparing efficient meals at an amount of 97 pesewas? Is that even enough to prepare food for our pet? We ought to get our priorities right."

Clement Apaak's comment comes on the back of scores of caterers on the school feeding programme in the Ashanti region who were left in shock when the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, snubbed them on Monday, April 3, 2023.

The aggrieved traders had gone to the Regional Coordinating Council to present a petition.

For weeks now, these caterers in the Ashanti region have been protesting for the release of payments which is almost a year in arrears, and an upward adjustment of the allocation fee, from 97 pesewas per head to GHc3.

They have attributed the demand for adjustment to hikes in prices of foodstuff and other food commodities on the market.

YNA/BOG