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Food Suppliers Give Government Two Weeks To Pay Arrears

The Controlled Food Suppliers Association (CFSA) has given the government a two-week ultimatum to commence negotiations on clear payment timelines for their outstanding arrears. According to the association, government has failed to settle payments owed to suppliers for food items delivered to Senior High Schools across the country under the Free Senior High School programme for the 2024/2025 academic year.

The suppliers say the delay has pushed many members to the brink of collapse, with huge loans taken to pre-finance food deliveries now attracting high interest from banks. They insist that without immediate engagement on Wednesday, food supply to second-cycle schools could be severely affected in the coming term, disrupting the Free SHS programme that feeds over 1.3 million students nationwide.

In a press statement issued in Accra on Wednesday, the leadership of CFSA noted that repeated letters to the Ministry of Education and the National Food Buffer Stock Company have yielded no concrete payment schedule. They described the situation as frustrating, arguing that members supplied rice, beans, gari, palm oil and other staples in good faith to sustain SHS kitchens but have been left unpaid for months.

The association warned that if government fails to start negotiations within two weeks on when and how the 2024/2025 arrears will be paid, they will advise themselves, a move that could include suspension of supplies and picketing at the Ministry of Education and Buffer Stock Company. They stressed that suppliers cannot continue to borrow at high rates to feed students while government remains silent on payment timelines.

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Education watchers say the recurring debt to food suppliers threatens the sustainability of Free SHS, which heavily relies on Buffer Stock to distribute food to over 700 SHSs. The Ministry of Education is yet to respond officially to the latest ultimatum issued Wednesday, but sources indicate engagement with the Ministry of Finance is ongoing to secure funds. Parents and headteachers have expressed worry that any disruption in supply will affect feeding and academic work.

Howedey.com will continue to monitor the CFSA ultimatum and bring readers exclusive updates on negotiations, payment timelines and the future of SHS feeding under the Free SHS policy.

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Author: Stella Sunu • Published on Howedey.com

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