Government Terminates All School Feeding Programme Contracts Amid Overhaul of Flagship Programme
The Government has abruptly terminated contracts with all caterers operating under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), a flagship initiative aimed at addressing hunger and poverty among school children.
In a formal directive issued Friday, May 2, 2025, the GSFP Secretariat informed caterers nationwide that their contracts have been annulled with immediate effect, barring them from providing meals in the upcoming third term of the 2024/2025 academic year.
“No existing caterer on the Programme should cook for the third term,” stated Hajia Fatimatu Forgor, National Coordinator of the GSFP.
The Secretariat cited a broader restructuring exercise as the basis for the move and assured stakeholders that new recruitment guidelines would be announced shortly.
The letter added that arrears owed to caterers for the second term will be settled “in due course,” though it offered no specific timeline.
The GSFP, part of Ghana’s contribution to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, has played a critical role in improving school enrollment and nutrition outcomes for children across the country.
However, persistent issues over delayed payments and allegations of political favouritism in the award of catering contracts have marred its implementation.
The mass termination, according to some education experts, could provide an opportunity for the government to introduce greater transparency and efficiency in the programme. Yet, the sudden nature of the decision has raised concerns among caterers and education advocates about the continuity of school feeding in the interim.
