I’ll improve quality of school feeding, settle arrears – Naa Momo Lartey

The Minister-designate for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has promised to resolve the payment delays faced by caterers under the government’s school feeding program.

Her assurance comes amid growing concerns over unpaid arrears and the quality of meals provided to schoolchildren.

During her vetting by the Appointments Committee on Wednesday, January 22, Naa Momo assured Ghanaians to addressing these challenges and ensure an effective implementation of the program.

“Our manifesto clearly outlines our goal to address the bottlenecks in school feeding and capitation grants. We even aim to extend the program to private schools,” she disclosed.

“From my checks, about 40 days of payments have been made, but 31 days remain in arrears. This is something I am committed to resolving.”

Naa Momo underscored her collaborative approach and promised to engage stakeholders in open dialogue to find lasting solutions.

She also stressed the need to prioritise the quality of food provided through the program.

“One of my strengths is fostering dialogue with all involved to achieve sustainable outcomes. With payments already initiated, I am confident that the president is committed to not only maintaining the program but also ensuring the quality of food is upheld,” she affirmed.