The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has directed the ministers of Education, Finance and Agric to appear before Parliament next week. 

The summons is over the picketing of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) offices by its suppliers.

According to the Speaker, the three ministers must explain to Parliament what their challenges are in ensuring the suppliers are paid. 

He said when the challenges are known, the House could assist them to resolve same. 

“So I agree that the business committee should programme for the three ministers to come before the house. The three ministers are the Finance, Food and Agriculture and Education to tell us what the challenge is.”

“We will be able to assist the executive to solve these matters. That is why we have established the committee for ways and means.” 

This was after the Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak raised the issue on the floor on Friday, July 7. 

Already, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, has accused NAFCO of dishonesty in its dealings with the group.

He said the creditors of these suppliers are harassing them due to no fault of theirs. 

“In my conversation with the suppliers, they alleged that they have not been paid for the past two years for the food they supplied to the various senior high schools through the Buffer Stock Company and that they are owed about GH¢278 million.”

“Some of them have gone to the bank to take loans with interest, and the interest is getting higher and higher with time. So, they are appealing to Buffer Stock to pay them,” he said in a Citi FM interview on Thursday.

Government owes the food suppliers in excess of GH¢270 million for food that was supplied to Senior High Schools across the country from 2021 to 2023.

Due to this, some members of the National Food Suppliers Association spent two continuous nights at the premises of NAFCO to press home their demand for the payment of sums owed them.