The government has disbursed GH₵26,000,000 to settle outstanding arrears owed to Institutional Suppliers who provide Senior High Schools (SHS) with items like school uniforms, P.E. kits, and stationery.
This comes a week after the National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) picketed at the Ministry of Education to demand that the government pay them for services rendered for two academic years.
“The amount released underscores the government’s commitment to fostering quality education and ensuring the smooth running of educational institutions,” the Education Ministry said in a news release dated April 15.
The Ministry stated that it was dedicated to making sure that resources were distributed to schools in a timely, effective, and seamless manner.
According to the Ministry, this was a component of initiatives to maintain and raise the standard of education in Ghana.
The National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) voiced its dissatisfaction with the government’s refusal to compensate its members, who provide SHS with housedresses, uniforms, and other necessities, last month.
On Monday, April 8, the suppliers showed up at the Ministry of Education premises to demonstrate after the government reneged on its commitment to commence payment on Tuesday, 2nd April 2024, and clear all outstanding arrears owed to NAIS following a meeting in March.
But hours later, following a meeting behind closed doors with officials to discuss the payment of outstanding debt, the scheduled picketing was called off. Speaking to the media, NAIS Public Relations Officer Emmanuel Ayivor stated that the ministry had given members assurances that the arrears would be disbursed starting on Monday afternoon.
“We have concluded and they (the Ministry) have assured us that they have heard our concerns. From today as a matter of urgency, they will start paying the arrears from the 2021/2022 academic year and then part of the 2022/2023 academic year will be paid by Wednesday,” Mr Ayivor said.
He added that further discussions would be had with the Ministry to come up with a payment plan.
The PRO, however, cautioned the government that the demonstration would resume should the government fail to honour its side of the agreement and settle all the arrears.
