SEND Ghana calls on gov’t find dedicated source of funding for school feeding programme

Advocacy group, SEND Ghana has called on government to find a dedicated source of funding for the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP).

The Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP) began in 2005 with a basic concept of providing children in public primary schools and kindergartens in the poorest areas with one hot, nutritious meal per day, using locally-grown foodstuffs.

The immediate objectives of the programme are to reduce hunger and malnutrition; increase school enrolment, attendance and retention; and boost domestic food production.

Unfortunately, the programme in the last decade has faced a lot of challenges including financing that threatens its collapse.

Speaking to Modernghana News on the sidelines of a stakeholder Dialogue on “Procurement Process in Contracting Caterers for the Ghana School Feeding Programme”, SEND Ghana Regional Manager for the North, Mr. Mohammed Mumuni has recommended that the government settles on a dedicated source of funding to protect the programme.

“The fact that aside the consolidated fund there is no dedicated source of funding for the Ghana School Feeding Programme accounts for the delay or continuous delay in reimbursing the caterers. And I think that is affecting the quality and the quantity of food being fed.

“We have implemented this programme for more than a decade and by now we should find innovative ways to finance it. If we are not able to get things like this to work I think the Ghana School Feeding Programme will continue to face these challenges,” Mr. Mumuni shared.

He further said the allocation of GHS1 per plate for the school feeding programme is woefully inadequate. He said his outfits want the allocation to be increased to at least GHS2 to ensure school kids are fed with quality and enough meals in school.