Gov’t releases GH¢200 million to support feeding in SHSs

The government has released an additional GH¢200 million to various Senior High Schools across the country to support the feeding of students.

This was revealed by the Acting Spokesperson for President John Dramani Mahama in an interview on January 21, 2025.

This follows the payment of arrears for the third term of the 2023/2024 academic year to caterers and the distribution of food items to over 900 schools across.

Felix Kwakye, in the interview, disclosed that a series of engagements had taken place between the Chief of Staff, the head of GES, the Chief Director from the Ministry of Education, and a representative from CHASS, which resulted in the immediate distribution of non-perishables to secondary schools across the country.

He also threw light on some of the government’s ongoing interventions to alleviate the challenges in the procurement and distribution of food items for schools.

“It is the policy of the government to ensure that the purchase of food items is decentralized because the decentralization of this process caused this kind of problem. Huge sums of money were held over time, which led to suppliers making demands for their money. So ultimately, the process will be decentralized,” he stated.

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“As far as I know, many schools have received it, and in due course, all of them should receive as much as they need,” he added.

Meanwhile, Clement Apaak, a former Ranking Member on the Education Committee of the 8th Parliament, has cautioned the public against any interference with trucks delivering food supplies to Senior High Schools (SHSs).

Dr. Apaak added that the food distribution process is managed by a high-level team, including the Chief of Staff, the Parliament, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ghana Education Service, with security playing a central role.

“The Flagstaff House is coordinating this assignment. Military trucks are being used to move the food, supported by trucks from the Ghana Police Service and private volunteers who have offered their trucks free of charge,” he added.

On this note, he said, “Let no one attack any truck or think that these food items are being smuggled.”.

“There will be security escorts accompanying the rice from Tema warehouses to the various destinations. Should anybody try to interfere, the law will deal with them.

“This is a directive from the President, and we are taking security very seriously. Nobody should try to interfere with this process,” he warned.