The Ministry of Gender , Children and Social Protection has called on agitating members of the New Patriotic Party to stop attacking caterers working with the school feeding program.
According to the ministry, they reserve the sole right to terminate or suspend the contract of caterers working under the programme, and not political party members.
The call comes in the wake of nationwide reports of irate members of the ruling party storming public schools and demanding to be put in charge of the feeding programme because their government is in power.
“The attention of the Ministry has been drawn to pockets of attacks against caterers of the School Feeding Programme in some areas in the country. We are also aware that some individuals are instructing caterers to discontinue catering services they are providing to some Ghana School Feeding Programme beneficiary schools,” a statement signed by the Chief Director of the Gender Ministry Kwesi Armo-Himbson said.
The statement added: “We on this note would want the general public to note that the ONLY AUTHORITY MANDATED TO ABROGATE, SUSPEND OR CALL FOR RECONSIDERATION OF CATERER CONTRACTS ON THE GSFP IS THE MINISTRY OF GENDER, CHILDREN AND SOCIAL PROTECTION THROUGH THE GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME.
“As part of plans to expand the beneficiaries on the GSFP to 1.3 million, the Programme will be recruiting new caterers. Adverts will “be placed in various media for this purpose. All caterers interested in providing services on the GSFP are directed to their District Assembly Offices to pick up application forms and apply accordingly”.