Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama has justified why his next government will end the National Buffer Stock's food supply to Senior High Schools.
Speaking to residents of Asawinso in the Sefwi Wiawso constituency of the Western North region, the former President cited the recent expose by North Tongu MP Okudzeto Ablakwa which revealed that approximately 22,000 bags of expired rice were repackaged and distributed to Senior High Schools nationwide.
John Mahama reiterated his resolve to decentralise the feeding grant in the senior high schools to avoid the occurrence of such situations.
He explained that rather than the central government distributing food items to the various schools, the funds would be given to the headmasters to purchase the food items from the local markets to boost the local economies. "We have also heard that the NPP government through the National Buffer Stock has changed the package of an expired rice because they don't want anyone to find out that the rice has expired and sent to our secondary schools for our children to consume. "That is why the next NDC government says it will not be buying rice for the schools but rather, if it is Asawinso Senior High, the money will be given to the Asawinso headmaster buy the food items from the Asawinso market," he stated.