Gender Ministry begins head-count of school feeding caterers

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has embarked on a head count exercise to check School Feeding Programme caterers, to streamline their operations.

Mrs. Cynthia M. Morrison, the sector Minister who was at Agona Swedru to witness the exercise, said complains and anomalies that had characterized the programme in the various districts must be corrected.

The school feeding programme was one of the social interventions created to support unemployed women in the various communities and also increase enrolment in basic schools, especially in the rural areas.

The Minister said it was sad that some caterers had more than two schools, whiles others lacked employment and stated that the exercise was to provide level playing field for more women caterers to be employed.

Mrs. Morrison said it was not intended to frustrate the caterers or sack anyone, but to ensure that those with three schools or more released the extras to others who were not in gainful employment to help them cater for their children and families.

Caterers drawn from Gomoa East and West, Agona East and West, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Mfantseman West, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Effutu, Awutu Senya East and Awutu Senya West were counted.

The Minister asked MMDCEs and other Government appointees to leave the school feeding programme for unemployed women in their areas.

Mrs. Morrison cautioned School Feeding Coordinators to conduct their work effectively to avoid disparities in payments.

She said the Central Region has been divided into two zones to enable the Ministry to carry out the head counts exercise successfully and it would be replicated to schools in every district and municipality nationwide.

Source: GNA