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The
Ghana
School
Feeding
Programme
(GSFP),
hailed
as
a
landmark
initiative
since
its
inception
in
2005
under
President
John
Agyekum
Kufuor,
has
undoubtedly
fed
millions
of
schoolchildren
and
provided
employment
opportunities
to
thousands.
However,
a
recent
Performance
Audit
Report
by
the
Auditor-General,
released
in
September
2023,
reveals
troubling
issues
that
raise
the
question:
Is
this
program
truly
serving
its
purpose,
or
has
it
become
a
hotbed
of
mismanagement
and
inefficiency?
The
GSFP’s
scope
has
undeniably
grown.
From
its
modest
beginnings,
it
now
feeds
four
million
pupils
across
over
12,000
public
basic
schools.
It
has
also
created
jobs
for
more
than
10,850
caterers
and
32,000
cooks.
But
as
the
numbers
swell,
so
do
the
challenges,
particularly
around
funding
and
the
quality
of
meals
provided.
Take,
for
example,
the
cost
per
meal.
In
2018,
it
was
a
meager
80
pesewas
(GH¢0.80).
By
2023,
this
increased
to
GH¢1,
with
talks
of
raising
it
further
to
GH¢1.20.
Yet,
the
National
School
Feeding
Caterers
Association
argues
that
even
this
isn’t
enough
to
provide
nutritious
meals,
suggesting
GH¢3.50
per
child
instead.
This
discrepancy
raises
serious
questions
about
the
program’s
sustainability
and
the
government’s
commitment
to
the
children’s
welfare.
The
Auditor-General’s
report
highlights
significant
financial
mismanagement
that
plagues
the
GSFP,
casting
a
shadow
over
its
achievements.
On
August
28,
2023,
GH¢1,950,590.00
was
supposedly
disbursed
to
NAFCO,
yet
there’s
no
evidence
of
this
transaction.
Moreover,
overpayments
amounting
to
GH¢2,321,042.05
to
caterers
have
not
been
recovered.
Wrongful
payments
totaling
GH¢274,235.29
were
made
to
non-contractual
caterers,
and
a
staggering
GH¢831,776.00
from
the
sale
of
Caterer
Application
Forms
remains
unaccounted
for.
Such
fiscal
irregularity
undermines
the
program’s
credibility
and
effectiveness.
The
quality
and
quantity
of
meals
are
another
sore
point.
An
analysis
from
2019
to
2022
revealed
that
23%
of
sampled
schools
failed
to
provide
quality
meals.
In
the
Greater
Accra
Region
alone,
28.8%
of
schools
served
substandard
food.
The
situation
is
even
more
dire
when
it
comes
to
meal
quantity,
with
68.2%
of
schools
not
providing
adequate
portions.
In
the
Ashanti
Region,
an
alarming
77.6%
of
schools
fell
short
in
this
regard.
These
challenges
prompted
the
Auditor-General
to
recommend
that
the
National
Secretariat
engage
with
the
Ministry
of
Finance
and
other
stakeholders
to
set
a
realistic
feeding
fee.
Improved
procurement
processes
and
debt
management
plans
were
also
advised
to
ensure
that
only
eligible
and
capable
caterers
are
selected
and
that
suppliers
are
paid
on
time
to
maintain
a
steady
supply
of
food.
The
GSFP
stands
at
a
crossroads.
While
its
mission
to
feed
and
educate
Ghana’s
youth
is
noble,
the
program’s
current
state
leaves
much
to
be
desired.
Without
addressing
the
rampant
mismanagement
and
inadequate
funding,
the
GSFP
risks
failing
the
very
children
it
aims
to
support.
As
citizens,
we
must
demand
transparency,
accountability,
and
a
genuine
commitment
to
our
children’s
futures.