The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Naa Momo Lartey, has taken decisive action by terminating the contracts of all Regional and Zonal Coordinators under the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). The move, which took effect in March 2025, is part of efforts to restructure and sanitize the programme for improved efficiency and transparency.
Widespread Dismissal Across Regions
The termination affects coordinators in all 16 regions and zonal coordinators overseeing districts and metropolitan areas. These officials were responsible for monitoring, supervising caterers, ensuring food quality, and coordinating the smooth delivery of meals to thousands of schoolchildren across the country.
According to sources at the Gender Ministry, the decision was influenced by reports of inefficiency, alleged corruption, and administrative bottlenecks that have hindered the smooth running of the school feeding programme in recent years.
Restructuring for Better Delivery
The Ghana School Feeding Programme, which aims to provide one hot nutritious meal a day to pupils in public primary schools, has faced numerous challenges including delayed payments to caterers, concerns over food quality, and reports of favoritism in the award of contracts.
Minister Naa Momo Lartey has promised a comprehensive restructuring exercise, with plans to appoint new coordinators through a more transparent and performance-based process. The goal, she said, is to streamline operations, reduce corruption, and ensure the programme serves its core purpose of improving nutrition and school attendance among Ghanaian children.
Commitment to Accountability
The Gender Minister stressed that the revamp is not a witch-hunt, but rather part of broader efforts to restore public confidence in the school feeding programme. Moving forward, the ministry will implement stricter monitoring mechanisms to track food quality, funds disbursement, and caterer performance.
Mixed Reactions from Stakeholders
The mass dismissal has drawn mixed reactions from stakeholders. While some civil society groups and education advocates have welcomed the shake-up, some of the dismissed coordinators have expressed disappointment, arguing that they were not given an opportunity to defend their performance.
Looking Ahead
With new appointments expected in the coming weeks, all eyes will be on the Gender Ministry to see whether this bold step will indeed bring lasting reforms to the Ghana School Feeding Programme — a critical social intervention programme that supports over 3 million children nationwide.
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