The management of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) has acknowledged its indebtedness to food suppliers which has resulted in the picketing.
The company says an emergency meeting has been scheduled by the board on the matter.
“NAFCO acknowledges its indebtedness to its cherished suppliers. The company sympathizes with them in this unfortunate situation they find themselves in which has compelled them to picket at our head office premises. The company is equally concerned about their plight and appreciates their patience.
“An emergency board meeting has been scheduled on the situation and the outcome including a possible roadmap for resolution will be shared thereafter,” a statement issued by the company on Thursday, July 6 said.
The picketing food suppliers said that they were owed two years’ arrears.
A spokesperson for the National Food Suppliers Association Koku Amedume said that this situation is putting pressure on them because they took loans from banks to enable them to meet the supply needs of the Buffer Stock.
Speaking on the Ghana Tonight Show with Alfred Ocansey on TV3 Tuesday, July 4, Amedume indicated that the suppliers who spent the night at the premises of the NAFCO as part of the demonstration are more comfortable sleeping at the premises of NAFCO than sleeping in their homes because of the pressure on them.
He also said they are worried about the interest being accrued on the loans they took because of the nonpayment by NAFCO.
“The pressure on us at home is massive. Most of these people go to contract loans from banks with huge interests with the sole aim of supporting their business and engaging in this supply business.
“Buffer stock had taken supplies from them for two years, for two years we have not been paid,” he said.
Pressure was mounted on the company to pay the suppliers else schools risk closing down
For instance, Builsa South Member of Parliament Dr Clement Apaak stated that failure to pay the arrears will mean that the suppliers will no longer be in a position to supply food to the schools.
Dr Apaak who is also a ranking member of the parliamentary select committee on Education asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ensure that the arrears owed the suppliers are paid to enable them to stay in business.
“I truly don’t understand what the problem is, we have been told that even with the IMF programme critical sectors like education and health and indeed social intervention programmes are protected, so if that is the case why has the government failed to release money so that the Buffer Stock Food suppliers will be paid?
“From what I know, the amount owed them is not even in excess of GHS300 million. So what has the government been doing with the money that Parliament has been approving year in and year out to finance the Free SHS policy?
“The President ought to step up to the plate and do the needful so that we don’t have schools closed down by the end of this week if nothing is done. If nothing is done by the end of this week, mark my words, schools will be closed down because the suppliers are no longer in a position to supply food,” Dr Apaak said on Ghana Tonight on TV3 Tuesday, July 4.
