School feeding programme must be overhauled immediately – Eric Opoku

The Member of Parliament for Asunafo South, Eric Opoku, has called on the government to overhaul the School Feeding Programme immediately.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb, Eric Opoku said that the programme which is meant to provide needy Ghanaian children in public basic schools with daily meals is near collapse.

According to him, the funding for the programme has been neglected by the government which has led to beneficiaries being fed poor quality food and some not getting fed at all.

“The School Feeding Programme was introduced to among other things improve the nutritional status of primary (school) children in vulnerable communities in our country. However, research available suggests that the implementation of this programme is bedevilled with a lot of challenges.

“The combination of irregular funding and ineffective monitoring and evaluation process does not bode well for the programme to realise the target.

“As a matter of urgency, I am urging the minister nominated by the president for the gender ministry, that after the parliamentary approval, the minister on assumption of office must immediately ensure the complete overhaul of the School Feeding Programme for the benefit of our children,” he said.

Eric Opoku, the Ranking Member for the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, suggested that just as the government has dedicated funds for policies like the National Health Insurance, it should also set up a dedicated fund for the School Feeding Programme.

He added that government can also start farms in communities that benefit from the programme to ensure that caterers have constant supply of food items.

The MP’s interview with GhanaWeb below:



Watch the second part of Elvis Afriyie Ankrah's interview on GhanaWeb TV below:





Also watch the nomination for the GhanaWeb Excellence Awards Youth Edition below:



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