Let's Show More Commitment

Mr Samuel Sarpong, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, has stressed the need for District Assemblies and beneficiary communities of the School Feeding Programme to show more commitment towards its success. "We should not lose sight of the fact that our inability to monitor the caterers to do the right thing can have a negative effect on the programme," he said. Mr Sarpong was addressing a day's sensitization workshop for key actors of the Programme at the Miklin Hotel in Kumasi on Thursday. Municipal and District Chief Executives, Directors of Education, Health, Food and Agriculture and Desk Officers attended. The workshop sought to assist participants to appreciate the complimentary roles assigned to them for the success of the School Feeding Programme. Mr Sarpong said the Programme had suffered some setbacks because some stakeholders felt their roles had not been clearly defined. "It is therefore time, they are properly oriented so that they will be up and doing," he said. He announced plans to hold a similar workshop for the caterers to enable them to improve upon their performance. The School Feeding Programme is part of a strategy to enhance food security and reduce hunger in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs') on hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The basic concept is to provide children in the public primary schools and kindergarten with one hot nutritional meal a day prepared with locally grown food crops. Its implementation has significantly helped to raise school enrolment, attendance and retention of pupils and reduced short term hunger and malnutrition. Madam Anima Wilson, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, urged the stakeholders to undertake frequent inspections to ensure that the environment of the various kitchens, were kept clean. She said they should not allow mistakes of the past to recur.