Otiko to face parliament over 30% GSFP contract reservation

Parliament is likely to drag before it in the coming days, the Gender Minister, Afisah Otiko Djaba over the controversial 30% Ghana School Feeding Programme(GSFP) contract reservation for the Minister.

A ranking Member of the Gender Committee of Parliament, Kojo Appiah Kubi told kasapa 102.5 FM “the conditions are too stringent” and must be reversed.

Caterers working with the Ghana National School Feeding Programme, (GSFP) are incensed over what they described as unfair treatment, the reservation of 30% of school feeding contracts in each district for protocol from the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection for the 2017/2018 academic year.

They are also unhappy about the sale of application forms at a cost of GHC 50.00, saying the forms have in the past never been sold to them.

A letter signed by Acting National Coordinator of the National School Feeding Programme, William Charles Quao and sighted by Kasapafmonline.com which details guidelines on caterer selection and contract procedure among other things, said based on a Cabinet decision the application forms must be sold at a cost of GHC 50.00 and accounted to MMCDEs.

The panel to do the selection of caterers should be chaired by an MMDCE and should comprise an Educationist, a health Practitioner, a Caterer nominated by the Gender Minister, two women opinion leaders, with one of the members being selected as a Secretary.

The final selection from the districts which excludes the 30% of protocol, the directive noted, should include; strong women activists, female opinion leaders, other women executives, Queenmothers and members of women groups.

But in an interview with host Fiifi Banson on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM, the Atwima Kwanwoma legislator said “although we need to advance some quota from the GSFP contracts to the Minister for protocol, the conditions attached to the contract will create confusion.”

He adds: “if we should allow it, the DCEs, MPs and government will face pressure because of this”