Clement Apaak calls for probe into School Feeding Programme

Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament has expressed shock at the U-turn by the Gender Ministry over the dismissal of the National Coordinator for the School Feeding Programme.

The legislator who represents the people of Builsa South claims that Ghanaians are bewildered over Adwoa Safo’s Uturn.

The MP indicated that given alleged acts of corruption as captured by the Africa Education Watch, and its call for a probe, the U-turn looks strange and shocking.

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection lawyer Adwoa Safo has reversed the decision to remove National Coordinator for the School Feeding Programme saying, it was an administrative error.

Madam Gertrude Quashigah was fired in a statement issued by Adwoa Safo on Tuesday.

But the Minister has reversed the decision saying it was an error.

“This is to inform you of my decision to withdraw my earlier letter…I wish to state that my earlier letter was as a result of an administrative error.”

However, Dr. Apaak is of the view that the unexplained reversal of the sacking of the boss of the school feeding programme has caused speculation.

In his view, several people believe the decision to reinstate her is due to a possible threat to spill the beans regarding beneficiaries of the alleged corrupt practices in the programme, where government appointees, DCEs and party executives were paid monies when in fact they never fed school children.

He said fictitious schools are alleged to have been created as a conduit to siphon monies into individuals pockets and to fund campaigns, hence a probe is still needed, whether she has been sacked or reinstated.

The Africa Education Watch (EduWatch), an Education Policy Research and Advocacy Organisation on Wednesday called on the government to investigate corruption allegations against the School Feeding Programme.

“We are calling for investigations and public disclosure of findings into the aforementioned allegations, and prosecution, if the allegations are confirmed”.

The statement signed by Mr Kofi Asare, Executive Director of the organisation added that “Consequent to media reports regarding allegations of corruption, wrongful payment of funds to the tune of GHC965,000.00 to caterers in schools that did not exist and misappropriation of school feeding funds we have cited a letter terminating the appointment of the National Coordinator for the Ghana School Feeding Programme”.