The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has slammed school feedings caterers for resorting to protests and wearing red armbands in response to the government’s recent decision to terminate their contracts.
Speaking to Emmanuel Agyabeng on Starr Today, Dr. Lartey expressed regret over what she described as an unnecessarily confrontational approach from the caterers, urging them instead to engage in dialogue to resolve the issue.
“The first time I met them over their issue, I told them that because almost all of them in this service are women, if they have challenges and issues, the best approach is for us to jaw-jaw,” she said. “Their views and opinions can help shape and reshape the inward or forward movement of the ministry and the programme so that all of us will have this win-win situation and be happy.”
But according to the Minister, that willingness to engage was not reciprocated.
“After we’ve spoken, all you hear is that their first approach is to go with red bands. It’s their right to express their views anyhow, but being antagonistic unduly, I think, is not the best, and it is not healthy for our engagement.”
Even though she acknowledged the frustration of the caterers and sympathized with their situation, she stressed that her office also has a responsibility to act in the best interest of the children and the nation as a whole.
“I actually sympathize with the current situation they are going through. It is their right to voice out how they feel about the situation. But I equally have a responsibility to ensure that what is done is in the service of the nation and also the children.”
This comes in the wake of a major shake-up in the Ghana School Feeding Programme, which saw the cancellation of all existing caterer contracts. Some caterers, particularly in the Ashanti Region, say they were not given adequate notice and have already invested in food supplies for the upcoming term.
Source: Ghana/StarrFM 103.5FM/Tutuwaa Danso
