Mr. Steven Asare
The National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) has appealed to the government to consider its members in the food supply chain of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.
The group said until the introduction of the Free SHS, its members were actively involved in the supply of food stuffs and other materials for second cycle schools in the country.
National President of NAIS, Steven Asare told the media in Kumasi that majority of the group’s members had been sidelined with some paltry contracts.
He claimed the fortunate ones are also not getting the appropriate rate which tends to eat into their capital, thereby borrowing to shore up for their supplies.
“Before the advent of free SHS, many of our members and their respective employees were depending on the supply of house jerseys, exercise books and school clothes for their living”, he noted.
Mr. Asare said the problem is compounded by late reimbursements from authorities, culminating in accumulation of debt, and pleaded with the government to allow the association’s members to negotiate on prices of their product supplies.
He said the members again want the process to be decentralised to ensure prompt payment, saying “The lingering issues of the Free SHS, despite it being a good policy, are collapsing our businesses which we have nurtured for many years.”
Mr. Asare appealed for personal intervention of President Akufo-Addo to help them keep their jobs and obtain commensurate rates for their supplies.
By Ernest Kofi Adu