The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) has announced that the cooking services of its caterers for the first term of the 2022 academic year will commence on Tuesday, 25 January 2022 despite the reopening of basic schools across the country.

The GSFP has, therefore, called on all its caterers to use the first one week “to stock their stores and tidy up their cooking spaces to ensure a good hygienic environment.”

A statement issued by GSFP on Monday, 17 January 2022, noted that “payment of the 2nd Term arrears started last week for Six (6) regions including part of the Greater Accra Region and will continue for the remaining regions in a few days.”

It reminded caterers under the programme of their mandate to “provide wholesome meals based on their district menus” and stressed that “the cost per child is still GHS1.”

It urged caterers and cooks under the programme “to strictly adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols” and assured “all caterers, especially those who are yet to receive payment, that their 2nd term arrears would soon be released.”

Basic schools across the country reopened on Monday, 17 January 2022, but the GSFP caterers across the country will not be preparing meals for the pupils until next Tuesday.