The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has summoned three ministers to appear before Parliament next week over a debt owed to the National Food Suppliers Association.
The ministers are Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Bryan Acheampong, and Ken Ofori-Atta.
The summons is over the picketing by suppliers at the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) offices.
According to the Speaker, the three ministers must explain their challenges to Parliament.
He said when the challenges are known, the House could assist them in resolving the issue.
“So I agree that the business committee should programme for the three ministers to come before the House. The three ministers are Finance, Food and Agriculture and Education to tell us what the challenge is.”
“We will be able to assist the executive in solving these matters. That is why we have established the committee for ways and means,” Mr Bagbin indicated.
This was after the Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, raised the issue on the floor on Friday, July 7.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, has already accused NAFCO of dishonesty in its dealings with the group.
He said the creditors of these suppliers are harassing them due to no fault of theirs.
“In my conversation with the suppliers, they alleged that they have not been paid for the past two years for the food they supplied to the various senior high schools through the Buffer Stock Company and that they are owed about GH¢278 million.”
“Some of them have gone to the bank to take loans with interest, and the interest is getting higher and higher with time. So, they are appealing to Buffer Stock to pay them,” he said.
The government owes the food suppliers over GH¢270 million for food supplied to senior high schools nationwide from 2021 to 2023.
Some members of the National Food Suppliers Association spent two successive nights at the premises of NAFCO to press home their demand for payment.