The National Domestic Bursars and Matrons(NABDAM) has condemned reported cases of pilfering and theft of food items by some of its members in Senior High Schools across the country.

They have therefore vowed to assist the Education Ministry to investigate and bring to book anybody found culpable in such act.

Addressing a Press conference in the capital, President of the Association, Margaret Asamoah said members must be advised to refrain from such acts insisting it won’t shield anyone who’ll be involved in the despicable act.

“NABDAM is getting increasingly worried over the incessant reports of some members of our association involved in such a despicable, unprofessional act of having to divert or misuse food items supplied to their schools for the purpose of feeding students under the government’s Free Senior High School programme. NABDAM in fact is not in any position to defend, protect or shield any member who is involved or who wishes to get involve in this shameful act, she warned.

Despite the spate of the theft recorded so far in the second-cycle institutions, Mrs Asamoah insists it will be unfair for the public to brand all members of the association as thieves.

“The Association will therefore wish to assure the Government of Ghana, Management of the Ghana Education service and the good people of our country, of our resolve to remain committed to the successful implementation of the Free Senior High School Programme. This is the expectation of the Association that these unfortunate act will be seen as individual act and not to be used as a basis to to brand all members of our association as unprofessional.”

Meanwhile, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer, Kwame Baffoe aka Abronye has accused the main opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) of planting their own people within the various second-cycle institutions to frustrate the government’s flagship programme- Free SHS policy.

He revealed in an interview with sit-in host Kwaku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM that the unfortunate cases gathered in few of the second-cycle institutions fuels the suspicion that the opposition NDC is colluding with these individuals working in the SHSs to collapse the Free SHS policy.

Backing his claim of sabotage against the Free SHS policy, he cited an instance where the matron of Ghana Secondary Senior High School (GHANASS) was caught while she was hauling out of the school, food products, including several boxes of sardines and tin tomatoes to go and sell outside. The case is however under investigation by the BNI.

“You’ll also recall that about three weeks ago, Police also arrested a matron of Buipe SHS who was accosted while she was transporting food stuffs to Tamale to go and sell. The report is being investigated by the Northern Regional Police Command. The lady involved is the Buipe NDC branch Women’s Organizer.

“A similar case also happened in the Central region, Winneba, where the Headmistress of the School, Mrs. Coffie in a publication by the Daily Graphic complained that since the Buffer Stock Company took charge of the supply of food items on the directive of the government, no supply has been made to the schools. However, it was later discovered that she was just hoarding the food stuffs to sell outside. This person we are talking about here is the Finance committee member in the NDC party in Winneba.

“So we have enough grounds to say that the opposition NDC is scheming to collapse the Free SHS policy at all cost by their evil deeds uncovered in some of the SHSs in the country.”