GHANA SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME TO BE EXPANDED SOON

The Northern Regional Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programmen (GSFP) Olivia Yahaya, has disclosed government’s readiness to expand the programme this year to enable more schools in the country benefit.

She regretted that only 125 out of a total number of 1,913 kindergarten and primary schools located in the Northern Region were benefitting from the programme which she said will be a thing of the past when the expansion programme begins in September this year.

Madam Olivia dropped the hint at a day’s sensitization programme held in Tamale for all Caterers and Cooks working under the GSFP in the region.

According to her, one of the major challenges of the programme since its inception in 2005 had been the lack of adequate information regarding the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders involved, hence the reason why the workshop was organized in Tamale.

She said the Northern Region stands to benefit more from the expansion programme when it takes off next month as government was determined to eradicate poverty, hunger and malnutrition which were impeding the growth of children in rural communities and was also a threat to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

Madam Olivia bemoaned that certain inaccuracies comprising poor food quality, lack of supervision, unhygienic cooking environments among others were uncovered by her of team of officers from the regional secretariat during its routine monitoring and supervision exercises.

Thus, she warned that her office would not tolerate such negative behaviours that have the tendency of thwarting government’s effort to make the GSFP a time-tested programme.

The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, San Nasamu Asabigi, in a statement challenged the service providers to treat the school children like their own biological children by feeding them with the required balanced diet.

He encouraged them to buy the food commodities direct from the local farmers in communities where they operate to enable them improve their financial levels. This, will encourage the farmers to keep their children in school, he added.

Mary Baisie, Head of Health and Nutrition of the Ghana School Feeding Programme at the headquarters in Accra, underscored the need for the service providers not to compromise with hygiene.