Ghana School Feeding Has Created Over 20,000 Direct Jobs—Hon. Cynthia Morrison

"The Ghana School Feeding Programme under Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has created over 20,000 direct Jobs to caterers and cooks as well as indirect jobs created along the value chain of farmers, aggregators and processors"

Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection Hon. Mrs. Cynthia Morrison stated these in an address she delivered at the Innovative Nutrition Initiative Training for Caterers and Head Cooks in the Agona West Municipality at Agona Swedru.

According to the Minster who is also the Member of Parliament for Agona West Constituency disclosed that the Innovative Nutrition Initiative Training seeks to train Ghana School Feeding caterers in a practical innovative nutrition cooking Demonstration aimed at sharpening the skills of caterers and cooks to perform better on the job

"The training programme also aimed at the following; To sensitize caterers and cooks on optimal nutrition for school-aged children, Innovative ways of adding Soya and Green leafy vegetables to school meals in order to increase Nutritional content of the meals mainly protein and to create awareness on the need for farmer-caterer linkage

Currently, on a daily basis, the School Feeding Programme feeds 2.7 Million Pupils in Public Primary Schools and Government is determined to undertake further expansion.

The programme can be found in all the 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the country"

The Gender Minister noted that the Ghana School Feeding Programme which was initiated on pillar III of the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) centers on improvement in Education, Health and Agriculture as its objectives

" The School Feeding Programme like the other national Social Protection flagship programmes provides an opportunity to pursue Ghana's commitment to Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2

While Goal 1 seeks to end poverty in all its forms everywhere, Goal 2 aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition while sustaining agriculture"

Hon. Cynthia Morrison concluded that her Ministry was collaborating with the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) to distribute local foodstuffs to caterers across the country

She added that there were other complementary projects on the School Feeding Programme such as the National Cocoa Drinks Projects currently being considered for Ghana Education Service (GES) Pupils

The Agona West Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan in her welcome address lauded the Gender Minister for spearheading the development of the Agona West Municipality.

She noted that good nutrition was the backbone of every individual adding healthy people makes a wealthy nation

" As caterers, let us apply whatever we are being taught into practice. I see this training as God-sent to ensure our school Children are healthy at all times

This will improve the academic standard in our Schools significantly better. I once again thank Hon. Cynthia Morrison for this great opportunity afforded to caterers in the Agona West Municipality"

The National Coordinator for School Feeding Programme, Mrs. Gertrude Quashigah said the programme was a practical training of best methods and practices in preparing school meals using local ingredients in the District.

" This training is also to ensure food hygiene and storage, cooking and storage under hygienic conditions and Sterilization of cooking tools

We aimed at training a total of 15,876 Caterers and Head Cooks in all the 260 Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies in all the 16 Regions in the country.

Am optimistic that the training will inspire the best cooking performance of the caterers so that the school Pupils will meet the daily intake of 30% of the recommended allowance in their meals as required by the Ghana School Feeding Programme"

Mrs. Gertrude Quashigah encouraged the Caterers and Head Cooks to ensure a clean and hygienic environment in their areas

Present were Madam Agnes Owusu, Central Regional Coordinator for School Feeding Programme and Madam Khadijah Anderson, Deputy Director, Monitoring and Evaluation in charge of Central, Western and Western North Regions