School feeding programme suspended … in Ejura Sekyedumase

The services of 41 caterers providing services for 33 schools under the School Feeding programme in the Ejura Sekyedmase Municipality in the Ashanti region have been suspended.

The suspension order, coming from the Municipal Co-ordinating Director, Alhaji Hafiz, at the heels of a clash between the caterers and some youth group claiming to be NPP followers, is said to have affected about 15,000 beneficiary pupils.

Most of the toddlers attending the schools have reportedly stopped going to class after first lesson due to hunger.

The school feeding programme in the Municipality has since January 12, 2017, been on hold as the Ejura-Sekyedumase District Assembly and stakeholders dialogue on its restoration as soon as peace prevails.

Hajia Humu Yahaya, a caterer of Sabonline T.I. Ahmaddiyya primary school and spokesperson of the caterers, told The Chronicle that thugs numbering about 50 led by one Bala went round all the beneficiary schools of the School feeding programme and ordered them to stop cooking for the pupils.

According to Hajia Yahaya, the group ransacked their kitchen and took away cooked food and cooking utensils to prevent them from rendering the service they had been contracted to do since September 2016.

The head Caterer said the youth group claimed their party was in power and that unemployed party members had to take over the running of the programme.

She complained that besides the existing contract to provide catering services till September this year, the School Feeding Programme Secretariat is owing caterers over three months and had to be settled before they can be replaced.

Madam Adiza Tinfinse of the Roman Catholic primary school indicated that teachers and caterers and all those who tried to stop the thugs from taking over the catering services had their fair share of beatings. She said reports were lodged with the local police, but to date no arrest has been made.

At the Bonyon M/A Basic School, Head teacher Suuk Biimi complained that the suspension of the programme had affected attendance. He disclosed that most pupils, especially the toddlers at the Kindergarten level, sneak out of school after the first break because of hunger.

He said attendance is now at 190 instead of 375 before the suspension and disruption of the programme, thus affecting teaching and learning and also defeating the purpose of the programme to encourage enrolment and attendance in basic schools as the foundation of education.

Mr. Adams Sadik, the head teacher of Hiawoanwu African Faith Basic Primary/JHS said attendance had reduced by over 100, from 469 to 367 since the programme was suspended.

Alhaji Hafiz, the Municipal Co-ordinating Director has confirmed the suspension order and said the decision was taken in the name of peace and that it is in the interest of the stakeholders.

He said in the face of destruction of property and possible loss of lives, the suspension of the programme was the wisest thing to do.

According to him, the decision was taken in the interest of the larger municipality as a whole and not to please any section of the constituents or group.

Alhaji Hafiz, however, assured that dialoguing is ongoing between the two parties and all stakeholders to arrive at a consensus without which the programme cannot be restored.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Ejura Sekyedumase, Alhaji Muhammed Bawah Braimah raised concerns over the continued suspension of the school feeding programme in his constituency. He complained that the suspension had defeated the purpose of the intervention aimed at poverty reduction.

The MP said the importance of the School Feeding Programme, initiated in 2005 to enhance food security and reduce hunger, is evidenced in the increase of beneficiaries over the years, since it was piloted with 10 schools from 413,498 pupils nationwide in 2007 to 1,642,271 pupils according to Ghana School Feeding 2013 annual report.

The Ejura legislator said in 2015 the SFP covered 14,728 pupils and called for the early resolution of the impasse between the caterers and the youth group towards the restoration of the programme, without which quality education would be compromised.

He said the politicisation of the programme has the potential of  undermining the effective   delivery of the  programme at the expense of quality education in the area and called on the  Minister of Gender, Children and  Social Protection to intervene and ensure the protection of the children.

 From Sebastian R. Freiku, Ejura-Ash