Gov’t spends US$5.8m on National Cathedral restaurant but cannot fund school feeding incredible paradox – Ablakwa

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said government is inability to fund the School Feeding Programme but spending millions on the National Cathedral.

He described it as an "incredible paradox.”

The outspoken MP accused government of misplacement of priorities after spending $5.8 million to design a restaurant for the Cathedral but failed to increase the meagre feeding allowance for school children.

In a social media post on Tuesday, June 6, Mr. Ablakwa wrote, "An incredible paradox - a government unable to feed children in public schools but has absolutely no objection paying a colossal US$5.8million to Adjaye just for adding a restaurant to his cathedral design."

He continued, “The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia govt has told school feeding caterers their demand for ₵3.50 per meal from the current atrocious ₵1.00 which is in constant arrears cannot be met. The caterers have roundly rejected a miserable 20 pesewas increase, setting the stage for a standoff.”

This comes as school feeding caterers rejected a proposed 20 pesewas increment to the allowance per child, currently at GH₵1.20.

The caterers are demanding at least GH₵3.50 per child to provide nutritious meals.

This provoked the lawmaker who questioned how "a government that cannot afford to feed its children was more than excited a few months ago to pay David Adjaye a staggering US$5.8million (₵33.5million at the time) merely for designing a restaurant & extending the Bible museum of the “National” Cathedral.”