Dr. Clement Apaak has tasked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with making sure that any difficulties relating to the free senior high school program, including those involving unpaid arrears to the food suppliers, are resolved right away.
Dr. Apaak, who is also a ranking member of the parliamentary education select committee, pleaded with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to see to it that the suppliers’ unpaid arrears are paid so they may continue operating.
“The President ought to step up to the plate and do the needful, so that we don’t have schools closed down by the end of this week, if nothing is done; if nothing is done by the end of this week, mark my words, schools will be closed down because the suppliers are no longer in a position to supply food.”
Dr. Clement Apaak
The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) owes food suppliers money that has been outstanding for two years, prompting picketing by food suppliers, which has led to the request from Builsa South Member of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak.
Koku Amedume, a spokesman for the National Food Suppliers Association, claimed that the pressure is coming from the fact that they took loans from banks to be able to deliver the Buffer Stock.
As a result of the pressure on them, Mr. Amedume claimed that the suppliers who spent the night in NAFCO’s facilities as a part of the demonstration, prefer to sleep there rather than their homes. He added that they are concerned about the interest that will accumulate on the loans they acquired, as a result of NAFCO’s non-payment.
Moreover, he added that there is a lot of strain on each household because the majority of people have taken out bank loans with high interest rates in order to sustain their businesses and engage in this supply sector.
Schools Likely To Close Down
Dr. Clement Apaak, the MP for Builsa South, voiced worry that schools might close if the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) does not pay the arrears owed to the food suppliers for the Free Senior High School Program by the end of this week.
He said that if the debts are not paid, the suppliers will not be able to continue providing food to the schools.
“I truly don’t understand what the problem is, we have been told that even with the IMF programme critical sectors like education and health and indeed social intervention programmes are protected, so if that is the case why has the government failed to release money so that the Buffer Stock Food suppliers will be paid?
“From what I know, the amount owed them is not even in excess of GHS300 million. So, what has the government been doing with the money that Parliament has been approving year in and year out to finance the Free SHS policy?”
Dr. Clement Apaak
Food Suppliers who have been picketing at the NAFCO have said that they are owed two years’ arrears and as such, they refuse to rest or return to their homes.
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