The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has assured the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) caterers that the government will pay their arrears by the end of May 2017.

Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Gift Twum Ampofo, who made this known to Adom News’s Emmaunella Ablah Aforkpah says the delay was partly caused by the need for the ministry to adhere to the strict governance process for the arrears to be paid.

The minister’s assurance follows the picketing by the caterers at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to demand the payment of their arrears.

However, Madam Twum Ampofo noted that the current school feeding contracts would end in July 2017, adding that all the arrears would be paid before then.

According to her, the government inherited arrears of GH¢114 million, covering 75 cooking days, from the previous administration.

She said in spite of the competing demands for public funds, the Ministry of Finance had processed the release of the arrears for 2016 and 2017.

“Our ministry is working in conjunction with the minister of finance and education and will certainly pay the caterers some money at the end of May,2017” she said.

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