Ashanti Regional Minister chastises unpaid school feeding caterers who besieged Regional Coordinating Council

Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, chastised and disregarded caterers under the school feeding program who besieged the Regional Coordinating Council.

 The caterers picketed at the premises demanding payment of unpaid arrears in the second term of the previous academic year.

However, the Minister turned his back on the women because he did not like how the caterers responded to his plea for calm.

The Regional Minister who was unhappy with the chants of the caterers from the first floor of the office reprimanded the caterers.

But some of the caterers retorted which infuriated the Minister to return to his office without receiving their petition.

“If your child comes to you with chants in demand for a favor, will you be happy? You only brought a petition, why don’t you go ahead,” he said.

The chants of the caterers continued until a delegation led by the Minister’s aide, Gloria Temmah Gambrah came to receive the petition.

Earlier, the caterers from different districts in the region converged at the office of the Regional School Feeding Coordinator to register their displeasure.

They subsequently withdrew their services ahead of the schools’ reopening on Tuesday, April 3.

The caterers are expecting arrears for the second term in the previous academic year to be paid before they resume work.

About a week ago, the group received the first term payment of the same year, an amount they say does not cover the full term.

They have threatened to throw away food of colleagues who go contrary to the decision.

Most caterers say they are being chased by their suppliers and banks where they secured loans for the contract.

The caterers are also calling for an increase in the feeding grant from 97 pesewas to three cedis per child.

“In 2017 cooking oil sold at 102 cedis. A bag of rice was at 155 cedis, and a box of tin tomatoes sold at 45 cedis. Presently, prices of cooking oil is 1,150 cedis. A bag of rice is sold at 600 cedis and a box of tinned tomatoes is now 220 cedis”.

One of them, Dorothy Ofori Sarpong said, “because of the prices listed above, there is need for increase in the grant”. 

Pupils in Basic Schools in the Ashanti Region benefiting from the school feeding program will be denied food on the day of reopening.