School Feeding Caterers Declare Nationwide Strike Over Unpaid Arrears: Demand GH¢3.50 Per Child

• School feeding caterers have declared an indefinite strike over the government's inability to pay them for their services
• They also want, as part of their demands to end the strike, an increase in the feeding fee per child from 97 pesewas to GH¢3.50
• The School Feeding Programme is the government's attempt to remove the feeding barrier to citizen's access to education but has been fraught with challenges

Caterers under the state-run School Feeding Programme have declared an indefinite nationwide strike over the government's failure to pay them for their services.

The caterers also want the government to increase the cost of feeding per child from less than GH¢1 (97 pesewas) to GH¢3.50.

The agitated caterers announced the strike at a meeting held in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region capital. They said 97 pesewas is too small to feed a child.

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School feeding caterers are public servants, they deserve respect

Speaking on behalf of the striking caterers, Gifty Asamoah said the government has failed to realise that they are also public servants whose concerns must be respected.

According to her, the caterers were compelled to proceed on the indefinite strike because all attempts to get through to decision-makers for negotiation failed.

"School feeding caterers are public servants just like teachers, police, doctors, nurses and other employees that provide state services but we are being discriminated against," she said.

We won't call off strike unless government agrees to pay GH¢3.50 per child

The mother society of all feeding caterers, School Feeding Association has said the strike will persist unless the government agrees to increase the feeding fee from 97 pesewas to GH¢3.50 per child.

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National organiser of the association Kwame Amankwaah told Citi News that the prices of goods and services have skyrocketed.

He said the high cost of foodstuff and other services that complements their job have it difficult for the 97 pesewas highly inadequate.

"Check around, one egg is GH¢3, how do you cook for a child for 97 pesewas?" he quizzed.

Colleges of Education unable to feed students at GH¢6.50 a day

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported last year that Colleges of Education have written to the government over their inability to provide three meals a day to students at GH¢6.50.

The colleges say prices of food items have shot up astronomically, with suppliers refusing to supply due to the indebtedness of the colleges.

The colleges thus sought permission for students to be allowed to feed themselves from November 7, 2022.

The School Feeding Programme is the government's way of removing the feeding barrier to access to good education.

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Source: YEN.com.gh