The demand of school lunch caterers for higher school lunch grants, according to Speaker of the House Alban Bagbin, is legitimate.
The caterers are asking for an increase in funds from the current $0.97 to $3 per school child to prepare meals for students.
In order to emphasise their demand for an increase in feeding assistance, the caterers went on strike in May.
The Speaker claims that the 0.97 feeding allowance given to a school pupil per day is grossly insufficient during a Thursday surprise visit to the school feeding secretariat.
According to Alban Bagbin, given the present economic issues facing the world, the caterers' demand is necessary.
"We recognise that there is a problem, and that problem is funding. As you explain, the caterers handle the pre-financing. "You should increase the amount you give them, please. Certainly, 0.97 is too low, and their demand is reasonable, he said.
However, the Speaker is unsure if the government will be able to satisfy the $3 daily demand from caterers.
Mr. Alban Bagbin urged stakeholders, including NGOs, to support the government's national school feeding programme in light of this.
"I believe this to be a crucial endeavour. It is a national policy that has been approved by all of our administrations and is supported by all of us.
"We should all pitch in, and I want to reassure you that Parliament will contribute our fair share...
We'll consider how we might help the school feeding secretariat make more money, he added.
Gertrude Quashigah, the national coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Program, reaffirmed that the issues raised by the caterers are being addressed.
"The caterers were contacted by the MMDCEs in the Regions. We rely on the government for funding, therefore we have guaranteed them that we would constantly keep pleading with them, encouraging them, and then soothing and consoling them," she said.
She revealed that the Controller and Accountant General had also given her organisation a check for about 50 million rupees to pay the caterers.
"Last Thursday, we got $50 million from the Controller, and we were able to send the funds to GHIPPS for payment on Thursday and Friday. GHIPPS then performed its due diligence and ready the file for payment. On Monday, that payment was made.
Alban Bagbin also paid a surprise visit to the National Buffer Stock Company as part of the tour.
He informed the business that Parliament will make sure money is available for the organisation to increase its capacity to store a lot of food for an emergency.
"As you can see, obtaining finance is one of the toughest obstacles. Giving them seed money is simply insufficient; I believe the government will occasionally need to step in and supply them with some.