Confusion and Partisan Infighting Plague Ghana School Feeding Program in Upper West Region, Leaving Beneficiary Schools Without Food

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The Ghana School Feeding Programme in the Upper West Region is currently embroiled in chaos, with widespread confusion and partisan infighting over caterer appointments, leaving many beneficiary schools without hot meals and forcing school children to scavenge for wild fruits in surrounding bushes.

Info Radio sources reveal that the turmoil stems from disputes over who should be appointed as caterers responsible for preparing one hot meal daily for school children, a core objective of the program.

Instead of a transparent and organized process, the appointment of caterers has become a contentious battleground involving some Members of Parliament, municipal and district chief executives, and political party members.

In several districts and municipalities in the region, including Wa West, Lambussie and Wa Municipal, reports indicate that individuals and party loyalists are being appointed as caterers—sometimes in schools that already have designated caterers—leading to overlapping claims and outright clashes.

In Wa West, numerous beneficiary schools have been denied food altogether. For example, at Duasi Primary School, no caterer has been present to prepare meals, leaving children hungry and school attendance by pupils declining sharply.

The situation is further complicated by reports of political interference. In the Wa West district, MP Peter Lanchene is said to have submitted a list of 50 individuals to the regional school feeding secretariat, instructing them to proceed as caterers in various schools.

This has created confusion, as existing caterers—appointed under the official guidelines—are being chased away by party members claiming their own appointments. In some schools, two caterers are seen preparing food simultaneously, risking safety and quality standards.

Similar tensions are unfolding in the Lambussie district, where the District Chief Executive (DCE) is accused of allocating schools to party members as caterers, even when those schools already have appointed caterers.

In the Kpare community, residents expressed disappointment over the DCE’s decision to assign a party member as caterer, who then prepares food in Piina, a distant community, and transports it to Kpare—a clear violation of the program’s guidelines.

Parents and community members have voiced their frustration. Speaking to Info Radio, many lamented that their children are no longer receiving hot meals, which has led to increased school dropouts and children wandering into the bush in search of wild fruits. At Nakor, Yeleyiiri D.A Primary School, Ga KG, Meteo, and Nyoli, in the Wa West District, the pattern of confusion persists, with no clear leadership or accountability.

The chaos appears to be rooted in a supposed circular that allocates 90 percent of caterer appointments to district assemblies (MDAs) and only 10 percent to regional authorities. This system, critics say, has opened the floodgates for political interference, with some NDC MPs allegedly using their influence to appoint caterers aligned with their interests—often at the expense of qualified, existing caterers.

In the Wa municipality, the situation is equally dire. At Sing Primary School, the appointed caterer has been chased away amid political pressure, and NDC party members have taken over food preparation duties. There are mounting calls to dismiss the current caterer at Nyoli Primary School, with claims that political considerations are undermining the integrity of the program.

When contacted, the Wa West MP, Peter Lanchene Toobu, declined to comment on the matter. The DCE of Lambussie promised to speak to Info Radio soon, while Madam Prisca Domenyevi Kuupol Bagonluri , the Upper West Regional Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Program, stated that they have been instructed not to speak to the media regarding these developments.

This ongoing confusion not only endangers the health and education of Ghanaian children but also tarnishes the reputation of the ruling party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which had promised a better Ghana for all. Education Experts warn that unless decisive action is taken—such as a transparent review of appointment processes and enforcement of guidelines—the program will continue to falter, leaving Ghana’s most vulnerable children in the Upper West Region in limbo.

As pressure mounts on regional authorities to restore order, the hope remains that the Ghana School Feeding Programme can return to its noble purpose—feeding school children and fostering educational growth—free from partisan interference and administrative chaos.