The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has commended the quality of meals provided to students under the Ghana School Feeding Programme in the city.
The Mayor lauded the food, referring to it as “nice” and “delicious,” following an unannounced visit to the Aayalolo Cluster of Schools, John Wesley Methodist, and Accra Sempe Primary Schools in Accra to evaluate food preparation and portion sizes offered to schoolchildren.
He stated that his evaluation was based on personal inspections and tastings, emphasizing that if he found the food acceptable, it would also be appropriate for the children.
During his initial visit to the Aayalolo Cluster of Schools, the Mayor engaged with teachers who expressed concerns, including the necessity for a washroom and a secure school gate, and assured them of the Assembly’s commitment to addressing the identified issues.
At John Wesley Methodist School, the Mayor participated in the meal serving period and tasted the food being served before praising the caterers for the quality of the meals.
At Accra Sempe Primary School, the Mayor informed the caterers and kitchen staff that since public funds had been allocated for school feeding, the meals provided must be nutritious and appealing, encouraging the students who had queued for their meals to enjoy their food, respect their teachers, and take their education seriously.
In an interview following his visits, he mentioned that he had conducted the surprise inspections after noticing improvements in government payments to the school feeding implementers and wanted to confirm whether these funds were resulting in quality meals for the students.
He remarked that the food served was generally satisfactory and urged caterers to uphold standards and enhance portion sizes where necessary to ensure that children are adequately nourished.
The Mayor acknowledged the school feeding team and the government for supplying the necessary resources to sustain the programme, noting that the improved flow of funds was assisting caterers in fulfilling their duties.
He revealed that the encouraging responses from students and the high standard of meals provided instilled in him the assurance that the program was effective in the city.
Regarding the infrastructure issues highlighted by educators during the visit, the Mayor stated that he would address the requests to fulfill essential needs such as restrooms, repairs to sections of the school building, and enhancements to security at the school entrances.
The Mayor mentioned that the monitoring visits would aid in maintaining standards in school feeding programs and guarantee that children in public primary schools receive meals that are safe, sufficient, and of high quality.
