MP calls for school feeding increment to at least GHS3 per head

The Member of Parliament for Anlo, Richard Kwami Sefe has urged the government to spend at least GHS 3 on each child under the school feeding programme.

Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Sefe said his wish was for the government to spend GHS 5 per child.

“If the GHS 5 will not work out at all, GHS 3 I think will be okay,” the MP said.

His comment is in reaction to Government’s announced increment for the 2023 financial year.

The government plans to increase the budget for school feeding caterer payments by an additional GHS138 million in 2023.

It is unclear how much this will mean for money spent on each child.

Currently, caterers are given GHS0.93 per child.

School feeding caterers across the country suspended their operations in protest of unpaid salaries and inadequate feeding grants.

Mr. Sefe also suggested that the school feeding programme be more targeted.

“Schools that need school feeding can be found in the hinterlands. Not only that, you cannot say in Accra, there are no people with poverty or whatever, but their percentage is very meagre. Those people, they could fashion out something special for them.”

The Ghana School Feeding Programme is an initiative of the comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme Pillar 3, which seeks to enhance food security and reduce hunger in line with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (MDGs) on hunger, poverty and malnutrition.