Ellen Ama Daaku from the government’s communications team has urged officials to address the concerns of food suppliers demanding payment of their arrears.
In an interview with the media, she emphasized that it is unfair for officials to ignore the suppliers, who have spent nights at the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) office, without addressing their grievance.
“Speak to them,” she said after indicating that information is key.
She highlighted that there was a previous claim stating that the Ministry of Education had not released funds to the Buffer Stock Company. However, the Ministry later clarified that the money had indeed been disbursed.
“If the money has been given, how did you share it? Buffer Stock must explain,” she added.
“Speak to the suppliers and pay them,” she stressed.
According to their spokesperson, Koku Amedume, this situation is causing immense pressure on them as they had borrowed loans from banks to fulfill the supply requirements of the Buffer Stock.
During an interview with the media, Amedume revealed that the suppliers, who staged an overnight demonstration at NAFCO premises, find it more comfortable to sleep there than in their own homes due to the mounting pressure.
He expressed their concerns about the accumulating interest on the loans they had taken due to the nonpayment by NAFCO.
“The pressure on us at home is massive. Most of these people go to contract loans from banks with huge interests with the sole aim of supporting their business and engaging in this supply business.
“Buffer stock had taken supplies from them for two years, for two years we have not been paid,” he said.
“I truly don’t understand what the problem is, we have been told that even with the IMF programme critical sectors like education and health and indeed social intervention programmes are protected, so if that is the case why has the government failed to release money so that the Buffer Stock Food suppliers will be paid?
“From what I know, the amount owed them is not even in excess of GHS300 million. So what has the government been doing with the money that Parliament has been approving year in and year out to finance the Free SHS policy?
“The President ought to step up to the plate and do the needful so that we don’t have schools closed down by the end of this week if nothing is done. If nothing is done by the end of this week, mark my words, schools will be closed down because the suppliers are no longer in a position to supply food,” Dr Apaak said on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Tuesday, July 4.