Use Local Foodstuffs For Meals — Sunyani MCE To School Feeding Caterers

The Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Justina Owusu Banahene has urged caterers working under the National School Feeding Programme to use locally produced foodstuff to prepare meals for the pupils.

Addressing the 2nd Ordinary Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Sixth Assembly in Sunyani, Mad. Owusu-Banahene, maintained that the use of local food items will provide jobs and ready-market for the local farmers, with the bigger objective of reducing poverty and hunger in the rural communities.

“Everything should be centered in the community. You are supposed to cook what is grown in our community. So please don’t go and buy them from elsewhere when you can get them from your community,” she stated.

She said if caterers sourced their foodstuff from local farmers, it would boost the local economy and employment as well as check gluts, which has become annual occurrences.

The Municipal Chief Executive underscored the need for caterers to keep their cooking environment clean while providing the school kids with balanced diets.

Touching on concerns raised by some assembly members at the meeting, Madam Owusu-Banahene said plans are underway to construct classroom blocks for Asukasu/Yawmire JHS pupils to shorten the distance of walking to Nkrankrom to school.

She added, the Benu Nkwanta and Atuahene CHPS Compound will be expanded to serve its rightful purpose while arrangements will also be made to clear sites allocated to scrap dealers in Sunyani.

The MCE noted that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has selected Sunyani Municipal Assembly to implement the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), a development initiative of the government.

She said the programme will fetch the Sunyani Municipal Assembly about GH¢ 25 million for its development agenda.

Hon. Banahene stressed that the programme is being implemented in selected Municipal Assemblies in the country with funding by the World Bank loan facility of US$100 million dollars.

Justina Owusu Banahene has urged caterers working under the National School Feeding Programme to use locally produced foodstuff to prepare meals for the pupils.

Addressing the 2nd Ordinary Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Sixth Assembly in Sunyani, Mad. Owusu-Banahene, maintained that the use of local food items will provide jobs and ready-market for the local farmers, with the bigger objective of reducing poverty and hunger in the rural communities.

“Everything should be centered in the community. You are supposed to cook what is grown in our community. So please don’t go and buy them from elsewhere when you can get them from your community,” she stated.

She said if caterers sourced their foodstuff from local farmers, it would boost the local economic fortunes and give employment to the people as well as check gluts, which has become annual occurrences.

The Municipal Chief Executive underscored the need for caterers to keep their cooking environment clean while providing the students of the beneficiary schools with balanced diets.

Touching on concerns raised by some assembly members at the meeting said, Madam Owusu-Banahene said plans are underway to construct classroom blocks for Asukasu/Yawmire JHS pupils to shorten the distance of walking to Nkrankrom to school.

She added, the Benu Nkwanta and Atuahene CHPS Compound will be expanded to serve its rightful purpose while arrangements will also be made to clear sites allocated to scrap dealers in Sunyani.

The MCE noted that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has selected Sunyani Municipal Assembly to implement the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Programme (GSCSP), a development initiative of the government.

She said the programme will fetch the Sunyani Municipal Assembly about GH¢ 25 million for its development agenda.

Madam Owusu Banahene stressed that the programme is being implemented in selected Municipal Assemblies in the country with funding by the World Bank loan facility of US$100 million dollars.