A PASSIONATE appeal has been made to the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Naa Momo Lartey, to urgently review the current allocation per child under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP).
The call, made by social commentator Nii Ayitey Armah of Nungua, urges government to reconsider the GHS 2.00 daily allocation per child, which he describes as woefully inadequate in the face of Ghana’s current economic realities.
In a statement shared with the media, Mr. Armah praised the GSFP as one of the most impactful social protection programmes in the country, helping improve school enrolment, attendance, and child nutrition. However, he warned that its intended benefits are being undermined by underfunding.
“No parent in Ghana today would willingly give a child a GHS 2.00 meal and expect it to be nutritious. Yet this is what we’re expecting caterers to do across our public schools,” he lamented.
He noted that the rising cost of food, transportation, and operational expenses have forced many caterers to compromise on the quality of meals they serve.
This, he argued, puts the health and development of children at risk and threatens the sustainability of the programme.
Mr. Armah further called on the Ministry to work closely with the National School Feeding Secretariat and Regional Coordinators to push for an upward adjustment in the meal allocation to reflect present-day market conditions.
“If the School Feeding Programme must be done, it must be done well. Our children deserve better,” he emphasized.
Stakeholders including caterers and education advocates have long echoed similar concerns, warning that the quality of meals served could worsen if immediate action is not taken.
The GSFP currently provides one hot meal daily to schoolchildren across Ghana. The programme is overseen by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, with implementation support from regional and district coordinators.
It remains unclear whether government plans to review the allocation soon, but pressure continues to mount from stakeholders who believe the time for reform is now.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
