The government spent more than GHC2.7 billion between 2017 and 2022 on meals for beneficiaries of the Free SHS program. This is according to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO).
According to Hanan Abdul-Wahab, the funds were used to supply more than 700 senior high schools, technical, vocational, and community development schools with 18 different food items.
Mr. Abdul-Wahab made the announcement on Monday, August 21st, at a Meet the Press gathering in Accra hosted by the Ministry of Information.
He said that food suppliers got 81.1 million Ghana cedis in 2017, 296.2 million Ghana cedis in 2018, and 441.5 million Ghana cedis in 2019.
The CEO of NAFCO stated that in 2020 and 2021, the firm paid out GH467.9 million and GH692.2 million to the food suppliers, respectively. The highest sum, he said, was paid out in 2022 and was for GH726.6 million.
Mr. Abdul-Wahab confirmed that the government released GH100 million on July 17, 2023, despite the fact that payments to food suppliers for 2022 were still outstanding.
According to him, another GH80 million has been paid but has not yet been deposited into the accounts of the suppliers.
Mr. Abdul-Wahab insisted that NAFCO will continue to work towards its goals of promoting the use of locally produced grains, ensuring farmers receive guaranteed prices for their crops, and stabilising food prices in the region.
