The National Food Suppliers Association has revealed that despite the release of Ghc 283 million in 2022 to the buffer stock company for payment of arrears, its members are yet to receive any payment.
This revelation comes after members of the association picketed at the National Food Buffer Stock Company for four days to demand their money for supplying food items to senior high schools across the country.
According to the association, they are owed over Ghc 270 million.
The Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, had previously assured that payment processes for food suppliers would commence on July 17.
However, in a statement after a meeting with the Education Minister, Yaw Adutwum, the food suppliers disclosed that they have not received any of the amounts claimed to have been released to cover arrears for food supplied from 2021 to 2023.
“According to the Minister of Education he has released a total amount of Four Hundred and Eighteen Million Ghana Cedis (Ghc 418,000,000,000) to the National Food Buffer Stock Company between the periods of 2021, 2022 and 2023. One Hundred Million Ghana Cedis (Ghc 100, 000,000,000), Two Hundred and Eighty-Three Million Ghana Cedis (283,000,000,000) and Thirty-Five Million Ghana Cedis (Ghc 35, 000,000,000)) respectively.
“It is worthy to note, that, even though the Minister asserts to have released an amount of Ghc 283 000,000,000 in 2022 to the Buffer Stock Company for payment of arrears in 2022, members of the National Suppliers Association are yet to receive a penny of the said amount.
“The Hon. Minister intimated to the executives of the National Food Suppliers Association that in January 2023 the amount paid (Ghc 35, 000,000,000) was the remaining balance of the 2022 arrears owed to the National Food Suppliers Association.”
The food suppliers, however, stated that they are not “prepared to accept part payment of the 2022 arrears, given the fact that individual members have accumulated interests on their loans contracted from their respective banks.”
