The Ashanti Regional branch of the Progressive School Feeding Association has strongly protested what it describes as abrupt and unfair termination of catering contracts under the Ghana National School Feeding Programme by the current NDC government.
Mrs. Gifty Asamoah, the Association’s President, at a press conference held in Kumasi, accused the government of breaching trust and imposing severe financial hardships on hundreds of caterers who had made significant investments based on assurances given during the government transition.
“We have always been committed to feeding Ghana’s children with nutritious meals. Many of us sacrificed our own resources and even secured loans to sustain this programme. Now, without any formal notice, our contracts have been terminated. This is an injustice,” Mrs. Asamoah stated.
She revealed that during the political transition, government officials assured caterers they would continue providing meals until the end of the third academic term.
Based on this assurance, many caterers stocked up on foodstuffs, often on credit, and took loans to meet the anticipated demand.
However, the sudden termination of their contracts has left them with unsold goods, mounting debts, and no compensation.
“We invested everything because we trusted the promises we were given. Today, we are left with debts, spoiled food, and broken trust,” Mrs. Asamoah lamented.

The Association is now calling on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, as well as the School Feeding Secretariat, to either reinstate the affected caterers for the remainder of the term or offer adequate compensation for their financial losses.
In addition to their formal appeal to government institutions, the Association is reaching out to revered Ghanaians including His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the National Chief Imam; Mrs. Lordina Mahama, and the Council of State, urging them to intervene and help resolve the matter fairly.
Several caterers voiced their frustrations at the press conference, describing the government’s actions as not only insensitive but also a betrayal of hardworking citizens who have long supported a crucial national programme.
“We are not asking for favours. We are asking for what is rightfully ours. Either let us cook for the third term to recover our investments or compensate us accordingly,” one caterer stated.
They stressed that many of them are now overwhelmed by debts and facing serious threats to their livelihoods and family well-being.
“It is painful to see our loyalty and sacrifices treated with such disregard. We appeal to all well-meaning Ghanaians to support our call for justice,” Mrs. Asamoah concluded.