Expect possible closures of schools if food suppliers aren’t paid by end of week -Dr. Clement Apaak hints

According to Dr. Clement Apaak, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South Constituency Senior High Schools (SHS) could face imminent closure if the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NFBCO) fails to settle its arrears for food supplies under the Free SHS programme.

He disclosed this hint in a recent report by Accra-based 3News.com. Dr. Apaak, who also serves as the ranking member of the parliamentary select committee on education, criticized the government’s failure to pay the NFBCO, thus preventing them from compensating the food suppliers.

Dr. Apaak expressed his perplexity over the situation, noting that critical sectors such as education, health, and social intervention programs were supposedly protected under the IMF program.

Therefore, he questioned why the government had not released the necessary funds for the payment of food suppliers, especially considering the modest sum of approximately Ghc300 million. He further pondered the government’s utilization of the funds allocated by parliament to finance the Free SHS policy over the years.

Drawing attention to the urgency of the matter, Dr. Apaak appealed to the president and the government to intervene promptly and ensure the settlement of outstanding payments. He warned that failure to address the issue by the end of the week would result in the closure of schools due to the suppliers’ inability to continue food provision.

Meanwhile, the Food Suppliers Association to Senior High Schools has resorted to picketing at the offices of the National Food Buffer Stock Company. Their action stems from a grievance of not receiving payment for two years’ worth of arrears.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh