The government has disbursed GH₵26,000,000 to settle outstanding arrears owed to Institutional Suppliers who provide Senior High Schools (SHS) with items like school uniforms, P.E. kits, and stationery.

This comes a week after the National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) picketed at the Ministry of Education to demand that the government pay them for services rendered for two academic years.

In a press release dated April 15, the Education Ministry stated that “The amount released underscores the government's commitment to fostering quality education and ensuring the smooth running of educational institutions.”

The Ministry noted that it was committed to ensuring a smooth, timely, and efficient distribution of resources to schools.

This, the Ministry stated, formed part of efforts to improve and sustain quality education in Ghana.

Last month, the National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) expressed displeasure over the government’s failure to pay its members who supply SHS with uniforms, housedresses, and other essentials.

On Monday, April 8, the suppliers showed up at the Ministry of Education premises to demonstrate after the government reneged on its commitment to commence payment on Tuesday, 2nd April, 2024, and clear all outstanding arrears owed to NAIS following a meeting in March.

However, the planned picketing was suspended hours later after a closed-door meeting with officials to discuss payment of outstanding debt.

Read More: National Association of Institutional Suppliers suspend picketing

Speaking to the media, the Public Relations Officer of NAIS, Emmanuel Ayivor, had said members received assurances from the ministry that disbursement of arrears would start on Monday afternoon.

“We have come to a conclusion and they (the Ministry) have actually assured us that they have heard our concerns. From today as a matter of urgency, they will start paying the arrears from the 2021/2022 academic year and then part of the 2022/2023 academic year will be paid by Wednesday,” Mr Ayivor said.

He added that further discussions would be had with the Ministry to come up with a payment plan.

The PRO however, cautioned the government that the demonstration would resume should the government fail to honour its side of the agreement and settle all the arrears.