The Secretary of the School Feed Caterer’s Association, Dorothy Ofori Sarpong, has expressed skepticism about the promises made by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, regarding the payment of outstanding arrears owed to striking caterers by next week and a proposed GH¢ 1.20 increment in the cost per head.
She said this while in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM which was monitored by GhanaWeb.
Her comments were in reaction to the pronouncement by the Gender Minister during a Press Conference on June 04, 2023, where she said plans are advanced to pay the arrears owed the striking caterers by next week and increase the fee per head from 97 pesewas to 1.20 pesewas.
Dorothy Ofori Sarpong said that the association remains on strike until their demands are met.
“And that is the anthem they keep on singing, next week you will be paid, and so without giving a specific date we will take it as like that as a usual promise. It will not bring any joy into our lives and so we are still waiting for the right day,” she said.
“Of course, we are still on strike, it is not going to give us anything to go back to cooking. We are still on strike even though the GH¢ 1.20p she has proposed, we will never accept it. We will still be on strike. It was 97p, now she is saying that they have sent a 1.20p proposal to be given approval before it can be authentic. So, for now, it is just a proposed thing that she is mentioning to us. Even if it is approved, we can use it.
“Meanwhile we are looking for 2GH¢, just 2GH¢ to manage with,” she added.
The caterers under the school feeding program have been on strike since April 2023, over unpaid allowance, and a subsequent increment of the amount per head from 0.97 pesewas to GH¢ 2.00.
Source: ghanaweb.com
