The brouhaha over who has the mandate to provide food for Primary Schools kids under the aegis of the School Feeding Secretariat, took a turn for the worse when two or more caterers clashed in several areas across the country.
The usual merry and exciting ambiance that often characterized �My First Day at School�, was also marred by misunderstanding and near physical confrontation in some schools, as reports filed by Peace News correspondents today on �KOKROKOO� revealed that all is not well with the School Feeding Programme.
Most of the schools visited showed negative signs as pupils and school authorities had to wait for confirmation as to whether food will be served or a new worker had been employed to take over.
The ruckus at Kotei, a suburb of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region resulted from the purported termination of contract of caterers employed by the Kufuor Administration, under the School Feeding Programme, to prepare food for school children.
Reports indicate that there had been an engagement of new ones to take over from the previous caterers by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).
At Kotei R/C Primary and Ayiduasi R/C Primary, all in the same vicinity in the Ashanti Region, it was a nasty scene to behold as residents claim; they do not know the new caterer contracted by the KMA to prepare the meals for their children. They picked up the food and showed a clean pair of heels.
At Dompoase �A� Primary also in the Ashanti Region, HELLOFM�s correspondent, Sampson Nyamekye reports that it was a special �our day� for the over 1000 students as four different caterers who claim they had been contracted by the assembly, honoured their side of the bargain and provided the meals.
What will happen to the food is anybody�s guess, but for sure, there will be some take-away packs.
In a related development, the KMA Chief Executive, Mr. Samuel Sarpong, has advised all caterers who claim to have been appointed by the his outfit not to adhere to the directive to serve food to the pupils.
In a statement issued this evening, the KMA boss stated that his attention has been drawn to a Kumasi High Court ruling, compelling them not to revoke the contracts of any caterer employed by the previous administration.
According to him, until such a time, when the High Court makes a final determination of the case, the old caterers, contracted under the NPP gov�t, should be in charge of the School Feeding Programme.
He appealed for level-headedness and cautioned against any acts of vandalism.
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