Accra-Ghana, July 21, GNA – The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) Thursday commenced payment of arrears owed the National Food Suppliers Association for suppliers to the National Food Buffer Stock (NAFCo).
The Ministry is paying GHS 100 million out of the GHS 273 million owed the Association.
The next tranche of arrears will be paid on August 17, 2023.
Mr Tanko Bagbara, Public Relations Officer of MoFA, told the Ghana News Agency Thursday morning.
Mr Kwaku Amedume, Public Relations Officer of the National Food Suppliers Association confirmed the payment.
Dr Bryan Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture, earlier in Parliament stated that 50 per cent of the outstanding payments owed the food suppliers would be disbursed by the end of Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
He said since 2017, NAFCo had done great business with the suppliers to the tune of GHS 2.7 billion.
“In 2017, it was GHS 81.1 million, in 2018, GHS 296 million, in 2019, GHS 431 million, in 2020 GHS 467 million, 2021 GHS 692 million, and in 2022 ¢726 million.”
“Buffer stock has made payments since it started in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 in full. Mr Speaker in 2022, of the GHS 726, 617,881, GHS 500 million have been paid to the suppliers. So, we owe the suppliers a little more of GHS 203 million,” he said.
Mr Kwaku Amedume said they were hoping that the next tranche of payment would be honoured next month.
“We hope that going forward, our arrears will be paid on time and promptly to enhance our operations and supplies to NAFCo,” he added.
Members of the National Food Suppliers Association commenced daily picketing of the premises of NAFCO on July 04, 2023, to demand arrears for supplies to NAFCO.
