The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Food Buffer Stock Company Limited (NAFCO), Hanan Abdul-Wahab has said that Government has spent about GHC2.7 billion to pay food suppliers under the Free Senior High School Policy between 2017 and 2022.
The amount covers the supply of 18 food items to over 700 senior high schools (SHS), technical, vocational and community development schools.
He made the remarks at the bi-weekly Minister’s Press Briefing organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday.
Mr Abdul-Wahab explained that an amount of GH¢81.1 million was paid to food suppliers in 2017; GH¢296.2 million in 2018; and GH¢441.5 million in 2019.
For 2020 and 2021, NAFCO paid GH¢467.9 million and GH¢692.2 million respectively, while GH¢726.6 million was paid in 2022.
Arrears
Addressing the issue of payment of arrears to food suppliers, the CEO said NAFCo has cleared about 85 per cent of its arrears for 2022.
“In terms of percentage, I can say that 85 per cent of what we owe as arrears for 2022 has been settled. What is remaining is 15 per cent, which we are working to ensure that it is settled before the end of the month,” he said.
He explained that GH¢100 million was released on July 17 by the Government with an additional GH¢80 million being released this month (August) for payment.
Food supplies
Mr Hanan Abdul-Wahab mentioned that his outfit has supplied over 6.8 million bags of selected food items to cater for more than 1.2 million SHS students.
The supplies included 1,502,730 (100kg) bags of maize, 510,000 bags of beans and 289, 380 Bags of Peanuts.
The rest are 223,950 Bags of Millet, 131850 bags of Soya and 4,158,360m (50kg) Bags of Rice.
Source: MOI (PR Unit)
