The lack of payments to suppliers for diets to government-run boarding schools and the school feeding program has become a serious concern to senior government officials.
The National Program Coordinator of the Free Quality Education Program, Mr. Augustine Moses Koroma, sounded very concerned when he said last night that “The School Feeding Program is under threat. Its sustainability can no longer be guaranteed because the Ministry of Finance is foot-dragging when it comes to payments to suppliers. I can confirm that some suppliers of diets to government-owned boarding schools are owed huge sums of money… The arrears are piling up alarmingly. The situation is likely to crumble.”
A senior World Bank official in Freetown noted that, if the school feeding program is not sustained, the Free Quality School Education Program “is likely to suffer a serious setback.” Similar sentiments were expressed by a senior EU diplomat.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has confirmed that they owe suppliers for diets and school feeding items. They refused to make any further comment.
The Finance Minister, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, is accused of undermining President Julius Maada Bio’s legacy programs, such as the school feeding program, by deliberately refusing to pay contractors.
The Finance Minister was unavailable for comment last night.
