Thousands of school children across Ghana have been left without meals following the abrupt termination of contracts for caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP).
The decision, which has affected over 12,000 caterers and 45,000 cooks, has sparked protests and a petition to the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, urging the government to reconsider its stance.
Happy Kaseɛbɔ’s visit to several public schools, including Adabraka Cluster of Schools, Nima Cluster of Schools, and Darkuman Schools, observed a halt in meal provision.
Many caterers claim they were blindsided by the termination, learning about it through social media rather than formal communication.
They argue that the cancellation disregards their long-standing dedication to feeding schoolchildren and has left them in financial distress, particularly those who had taken loans to stock up on food supplies.
The government has cited restructuring efforts as the reason for ending the contracts, stating that new recruitment guidelines will be announced soon.
However, the affected caterers remain hopeful that their petition will bring a resolution that prioritizes the welfare of the schoolchildren relying on the programme.
As the situation unfolds, many stakeholders, including school authorities and parents, are calling for urgent intervention to prevent further disruption to students’ access to daily meals.
