Caterers under the government’s school feeding programme have declared a nationwide strike over the government’s inability to pay arrears owed them.
This comes after their counterparts in the Ashanti Region withdrew their services on Tuesday, April 4 over the same issue.
The caterers who converged at Kumasi on Wednesday morning to express their grievances also demanded an increase in the amount paid per child from 97 pesewas to GH¢3.00 daily.
They said the current amount is unsustainable because of the current state of the economy and its accompanying high cost of food commodities.
Speaking at a news conference, the caterers lamented that they are going through harsh economic times as a result of the situation.
The leadership of the caterers has, therefore, urged all members across the country to join the strike to impress on the government to address their concerns as early as possible.
According to Madam Gifty Asamoah, one of the leaders, they have exhausted all their funds to ensure the programme stays afloat but are yet to receive any positive feedback from the government.
She also lamented that the caterers have not been given the same priority given to other professions despite the vital role they play.
“School feeding caterers are public servants like teachers, Police, Doctors, nurses and other employees that provide state services but we are being discriminated against. Can government refuse to pay teachers for even one month, why are they doing the opposite when it comes to caterers? A contract is a contract and our human rights must not be abused,” she said.
The caterers also threatened to embark on a nationwide demonstration if their arrears are not paid as soon as possible.