C/R caterers to have contracts renewed

FROM MAGDALENE SEY, CAPE COAST

Caterers operating under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) in the Cape Coast Metropolis will be renewing their contracts at the end of every academic year instead of the normal trend of renewing their contracts after two years.

This was disclosed to TODAY in an exclusive interview by the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Cape Coast, Mr. Anthony Egyir Aikins on Wednesday.

According to him, the move was to enable the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) correct some of the anomalies in the programme, and also to help maintain good records the metropolis created in relation to the programme. This was in respect of the fact that the metropolis did not record any form of disturbances during the replacement of old caterers with new ones.

Mr. Egyir Aikins explained that the renewal of their contracts annually was to enable both the caterers and other caterers who may be interested in the programme to apply for the job.

He further explained that the move would also give equal opportunities to caterers whether they are members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) or opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to serve under the programme.

The MCE in reaction to why the old caterers were sacked noted that decision was necessitated by the fact that management of the programme detected that there had been misappropriation of funds as well as blotting of figures by the old caterers.

He disclosed that caterers in the Central Region alone were detected to have blotted several thousands of cedis after investigations were conducted by the audit service.

Again, Mr. Egyir Aikins disclosed that his outfit was going to monitor closely the activities of the new caterers so as to ensure that mistakes created by the old caterers such as provision of insufficient meal, provision of contaminated food and blotting of figures were not repeated by the new ones.

He warned caterers to comply with the rules governing the programme or they would be shown the red card.

Mr. Egyir Aikins, however, assured old caterers that government was in the process of sorting them out soon, indicating that there has been delay in the payment due to investigations being conducted by the audit service concerning the programme.