SHS Food Suppliers To Withdraw Service Over Unpaid Debt

Food suppliers to senior high schools (SHS) in the three regions of the North have threatened to cut supplies to the schools if government fails to pay monies owned them.

The suppliers have also threatened to sue headmasters of the schools if the payment is not done.

The suppliers have not been paid for three terms of their supplies to these schools heightening fears that SHS in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West would not resume when schools reopen next year.

Speaking to Joy News the Northern Regional Chairman of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), Abdul Malik Salifu Husseini, said the indebtedness of government to these suppliers is a source of worry for parents.

He said these schools cannot go to the suppliers for food and cannot also on their own provide food for their various schools.

Alhaji Husseini said it is not surprising that the headmasters of the schools have threatened they will not reopen for the second term and reinforcing their threat by not announcing a date for the reopening.

He said the postponement of the reopening date for these schools will have an adverse effect on the academic calendar and studies of the students, something he said can affect their final examination.

According to him, several calls by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) to government has not received any firm commitment with government being silent on the matter.

He, therefore, appealed to government to expedite action on the grants to ensure they pay all monies owed to enable the suppliers to begin supplies to the schools.

Alhaji Husseini said because of the perennial woes of these schools they as parents have started deliberating for an alternative.

He said parents are exploring long-term measures on how to support the schools should government decide to cancel the feeding grants, but added that in the interim parents continue to plead with government to pay the debts.

Source: myjoyonline