Let's Eschew Tribal Sentiments Which Can Cause Divisions -GSFP Boss

Dr. Kwame Adu-Nsiah

The National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Dr Kwame Adu-Nsiah has urged Ghanaians to eschew tribal sentiments which have the tendency to cause divisions in the life of the nation.

Speaking to journalists in a response to happenings within the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) in the Northern Region, he outrightly dismissed claims that the programme was recruiting zonal coordinators and caterers based on their tribal affiliations in the region.

According to him, all the zonal coordinators who were currently employed applied for the positions but not handpicked by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection as falsely claimed by some sections of the general public. 

"We have two Dagombas, two Gonjas, one person from Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo, one from Bimbilla and one from Kpandai. They were employed based on their qualification", he stressed.

He also admitted that, about one or two zonal coordinators were also working on contracts as caterers but the Secretariat gave them the option to choose being a zonal coordinator or caterer. "We did our checks and found out that some zonal coordinators were also caterers and the Secretariat asked them to resign from their positions and be caterers or remain and relinquish the catering job. And so they relinquished the catering job. So that issue has been addressed", he explained.

Dr. Adu-Nsiah also refuted claims that his outfit was undermining the authority of the Northern Regional Coordinator, Madam Felicia Konaah Tetteh by dealing directly with Zonal Coordinators instead of her.

“We have not undermined any regional coordinator and have not also engaged persons on tribal lines. There is no bad blood between us and the Regional Coordinator. She is not here because of her monitoring programme today as well as her deputy”, he disclosed.

Dr Adu-Nsiah however disclosed that, earlier he and officers of the region met and resolved all differences and that the sealed office has since been open for staff to work.

It would be recalled that a vigilante youth group of NPP calling itself Burma Camp locked up the Northern Regional office of the Ghana School Feeding Programme because according to them, their appointments were done based on tribal lines.

They maintained that until the positions were fairly distributed, the offices would remain sealed but responding to their concerns, the National Coordinator said they acted based on rumour and that it was at variance with the reality.