The Minister For Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu (MP), says caterers under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) will be paid the third term arrears of the 2022 academic year next week.
The Minister indicated that 11,052 caterers’ files have been cleared for payment, stressing that caterers who did not cook during the third term of the 2022 academic year will not be paid.
She said: “76 caterers’ payment are pending as a result of challenges with their E-zwich cards. All should note that caterers under the programme are paid based on number of days cooked within a term. Caterer arrears are being compiled and will be resolved. A software has been developed to manage the GSFP data. The Ministry will continue to implement planned activities and monitor compliance to standards so that no one is left behind.”
She said there has been considerable growth and expansion of the Ghana School Feeding Programme.
According to her, 3,801,491 beneficiaries are currently the programme as compared to 2016, where 1,671,777 beneficiaries were on the programme.
She said 10,832 public basic schools comprising KG to Primary 6 are beneficiary schools and the feeding cost per meal per day per child was increased from 80 Pesewas in 2018 to GHC1.00.
“In 2023, the cost per meal per child per day has been proposed as GHC 1.20,” she added.
Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu, who was speaking at the Meet the Press Series yesterday, averred that the GSFP is one of the social protection flagship programmes which is consistent with other major policies and development strategies of the government such as Ghana Shared Growth Development Agenda, and Ghana National Social Protection Strategy.
According to her, the programme continues to provide employment for 34,350 caterers and cooks especially women to generate income to enable them take care of their families.
“Also, the programme has created a ready market for local farmers thereby boosting the local economy,” she noted.
She also explained that the programme is currently running an electronic monitoring system which provides real time data to enhance programme delivery.
She added that the Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance paid for the first and second term arears of the 2022 academic year as at April, 2023.
LEAP
Speaking on the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme, the Minister mentioned that all LEAP arrears have been cleared for 2022 and arrangements are being made for first payment for 2023 to be made.
According to her, there are over 1.5 million LEAP beneficiaries and that “payment for 1st cycle 2023 will be done next week”.
“Government has doubled the amount for beneficiaries. Pilot reassessment has been carried out in 6 Regions (UER, UWR, SR, NR and NER) and persons accused of witchcraft in the 5 camps of the Northern and North East Regions of Ghana have been included to benefit from LEAP cash grant. Also, persons affected by leprosy in the Weija Leprosarium and other five camps (UER, UWR, ER, VR and CR) have also been included in the LEAP Programme.”