A buffer stock explained simply, is a scheme or intentional program which buys and stores food during harvest and releases the stock during the lean season when prices are high.
In Ghana, the the National Food Buffer Stock Company was established in 2010 with this same mandate, to among others,
1. Provide ready market to farmers at guarantee prices
2. Mop up excess produce from farmers in other to reduce post harvest losses
3. Purchase, sell,preserve and distribute food stuffs to government institutions including schools.
4. Manage government emergency food security.
How has the NFCO fared in meeting this core mandate in the face of the global rising food insecurity and the persistent rice in food prices in Ghana?
The Global Food Security index 2021 showed that global food security has decreased for the second year running.
The Economic Impact and Corteva Agriscience ranked Ghana 82nd in terms of food security.
The Buffer Stock Company is mandated to supply schools including Senior High Schools with cereals for the running of the Free Senior High School. However, the company has failed to fulfil this responsibility.
Schools have complained and headteachers have to threatened closure of schools because of food shortage before the Buffer Stock Company will react.
The Upper West Region Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools is the latest to openly threaten closure of schools citing the unwillingness of contracted food suppliers to supply food stuff to the schools due to government’s failure to pay debt in excess of Gh320m.
The PRO. of the Ministry of Education in an interview on Joynews on 11th July,2022, said government has engaged some banks to offset the arrears owed the suppliers.
But where is Buffer Stock Company in all of this? Why are they not able to buy the food during the harvest season for supply to the schools?
We seems to be sitting on an emergency because the CEO of the company and his board chair, Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab and Mr. Henry Nana Boakye have failed in their mandate.
Instead of buying the stock and distributing to the schools, the company has rather sub-contracted suppliers who use their own money to buy food stuff to supply to the schools and later present receipts for reimbursement.
Is it government that is failing to provide the necessary financial resources for the effective running of the company or that the managers of the company and the government has seen an avenue to loot and share the monies that should have gone to the farmers and the food that should have gone to the schools?
If the Buffer Stock Company cannot play its role , then it is of no use to the state to employ people at a failed company that enjoy huge salaries that should have rather gone into the purchase and supply of this food stuffs to our schools.
MR.Simon Agana Blessing
Zuarungu-Daboren
By:mywordfmonline.com