School Feeding Caterers Reject Auditor General’s Report

The Progressive School Feeding Caterers Association of Ghana (POSCAG) has rejected parts of a recent Auditor General’s report that cited them for overpayment and indicted them for preparing unwholesome food for pupils.

The latest performance report by the Auditor-General reveals that caterers were overpaid by GH¢2.3 million between 2017 and 2022.

It also disclosed that some of the food prepared for pupils is unwholesome, with caterers allegedly using rotten ingredients.

However, the caterers countered that the report is inaccurate in a statement issued by their association and obtained by MyGhanaMedia.com.

The school feeding caterers disagree with some of the report’s findings, which suggest that they prepare unwholesome food for Ghanaian students, yet they acknowledge the excellent work done by the auditor general.

In a statement released by the association and sighted by MyGhanaMedia.com, it said, “The fact that we do appreciate the work done by the Auditor General, we find it strange that the report Generalised the whole Caterers cooking unwholesome food for the children.”

It also came out that students enjoy the meals so much that even teachers bring their bowls to get a share first.

“Although the amount involved per child is insufficient, the Caterers are Mothers and will NEVER use unwholesome foodstuffs to cook for the children. Because the
Caterers eat the same food including some of the Teachers’.

Additionally, it disputes the Auditor General’s finding that the Secretariat overpaid the caterers, pointing out that the Secretariat has been in debt to some of them since 2017 and has asked the AG to look into the matter again.

The association continued by saying that it concurs with a section of the report that asserts that the quantity of food served is insufficient due to the financial stakes.

Furthermore, they refuted certain accusations made by members of the public against caterers.

They argue that “the public has misinformation about the procurement of the caterers cooking for the basic schools under the School Feeding Program. Some of the public is accusing the caterers of stealing the food supply by the government to cook for the children.”

 

Read the full statement below

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile speaking at a news conference in Kumasi, Dorothy Ofori Sarpong, the Secretary of the Progressive School Feeding Caterers Association of Ghana, echoed these concerns.

She expressed disappointment that their (caterers) efforts are unappreciated rather than applauded.

 

 

She makes an appeal on behalf of the association to benevolent individuals and organizations to assist the government in order to improve the quality of food.

“On this note, we are therefore appealing to NGOs and philanthropies across the world to come to the aid of the government to improve the school feeding programme,” she appealed.

 

 

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