The World Bank has stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in Ghana’s School Feeding Programme. It has cautioned that unless reforms addressing these concerns are implemented, the World Bank may reduce its financial support for the program.
During an interview on the Business Edition of PM Express, the Country Director of the World Bank, Pierre Frank Laporte, stated that this decision aims to ensure that the School Feeding Programme is executed properly.
“We have made it very clear that in the new project, we expect complete transparency and accountability… we are very clear about it. If the government fails to implement the School Feeding Programme correctly, we will restructure the project and withdraw our support,” he expressed to George Wiafe.
Laporte also raised concerns about the program being politicized, stating that the World Bank does not want its projects to be used as “political tools.”
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“We have had direct discussions with both the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Local Government regarding the School Feeding Programme. We are aware that the program can become highly political, with favors and similar practices. We want to avoid that,” he added.
The School Feeding Programme, which was initiated in 2005, aims to enhance food security, reduce hunger, and align with the UN Millennium Development Goals on hunger, poverty, and malnutrition. However, it has faced challenges in terms of funding.
Currently, some caterers are on strike due to non-payment of grants. They have vowed not to provide meals to school children until their outstanding payments are made, emphasizing that they will not be swayed by empty promises this time.
Meanwhile, the World Bank’s Country Director for Ghana has indicated that Ghana may receive the first installment of $300 million from the World Bank if an agreement is reached on the conditions.
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Before the World Bank can release the $300 million, the government needs to present a comprehensive reform package, as it is intended to serve as budget support.
The initial $300 million is part of a $1.1 billion facility extended by the World Bank to Ghana over four years to assist the country’s budget while it is under the IMF program.
Laporte mentioned that if an agreement is reached between the government and the World Bank, the first installment of funds could be disbursed to Ghana’s accounts by September of this year.
“Our plan, our hope is we can bring this to the board by September. But it will all depend on how fast we reach an agreement with the government on the pro-actions.
It may be September, it may be October, but we’re hoping we need to do it this year because the IMF has factored it into its financing gap,” he stated on Thursday.
