Gender Ministry takes over School Feeding Programme

Government has changed the sectoral responsibility for the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

A Government directive to the two sector Ministers signed by Mr Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra requested for an immediate change over.

As per the government directive, Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Local Government has accordingly handed over his sectoral responsibility to Nana Oye Lithur, the Minister of Gender.

In a letter dated July 24, the Local Government Minister expressed appreciation to the Management and Staff of the GSFP and other stakeholders for their support.

“It is my wish that you would accord my successor the same measure of cooperation and support, as she assumes the leadership of the School Feeding Programme,” the Local Government Minister stated.

The GSFP is a social intervention by government to help boost enrollment in public basic schools and the nutritional needs of basic school children by providing one nutritious meal each school day for all infants and primary school children from four to 12 years.

It was established in 2005 by Ghana and the Dutch Government as a means to boost domestic food production and increase school enrolment, attendance and retention among kindergarten and primary school children.

The programme was inspired by the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme, Pillar three of NEPAD under the recommendations of the United Nations Millennium Task Force on Hunger.

Source: GNA