According to the Education Ministry, it has agreements with vendors to supply meals to senior high schools in the Upper West Region.
The regional chapter of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools last week issued a warning that if the government failed to deliver supplies within six days, pupils and parents could be required to cover the cost of feeding.
In a letter to the regional director of the Ghana Education Service, CHASS stated that local vendors as well as the food suppliers contacted by the Buffer Stock Company had all declined to assist, citing the government's failure to make good on unpaid debts.
According to them, this has made an already grave situation in the area's schools, where some don't have enough supplies to survive a week, even worse.
The majority of schools were out of Tombrown, soya beans, sardines, rice, sugar, palm oil, other oils, and rice. The Ministry of Education's Public Relations officer, Kwasi Kwarteng, acknowledged difficulties with the recent food delivery to schools in an interview with JoyNews.
But he pointed out that starting tomorrow, July 12, schools in the area would start getting supplies as a result of the Education Minister's involvement. In the majority of the schools, there have been reports of food shortages and possible food shortages.
As I speak with you, arrangements have been made for suppliers to supply food to prevent a potential food shortage within the region and some schools that may have that challenges. I mean, if you read the press release that was released by CHASS Upper west chapter, clearly they cited a potential food shortage. Based on that, the Minister of Education had to act and intervene.
"So yes, we do acknowledge that there may be difficulties, but it does not necessarily mean that payment delays are to blame; other times, practical problems, such as a lack of storage space, may be to blame. However, we do acknowledge that this is more related to the payment delays than the suppliers' lack of electricity or the supply capacity," he stated.