The 2022 Auditor-General’s report has uncovered that GH¢831,776.00 generated from the sale of application forms for the Ghana School Feeding Programme remains unaccounted for, out of a total of GH¢1,094,000.00 collected.
According to the report, 21,880 application forms were sold at GH¢50 each for the selection of caterers during the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 academic years. While GH¢1,094,000.00 was generated from these sales, only GH¢262,224.00 has been recovered.
Efforts by the National Coordinator to retrieve the outstanding amount were reportedly unsuccessful despite engagements with relevant authorities. Correspondences reviewed during the audit period indicated attempts by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development to recover the funds from Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) responsible for the shortfall.
As of the audit deadline, only six out of 225 MMDCEs had responded regarding the outstanding payments.
The findings underscore significant financial mismanagement within the Ghana School Feeding Programme, prompting calls for enhanced accountability and transparency in managing public funds allocated for educational initiatives.
