The Buffer Stock Company has once again, disappointed individual members of the free SHS Food Suppliers Association by refusing to pay their outstanding areas amounted to billions of Cedis as promised to effect payment on 17th July, 2023.
Free SHS Food Suppliers Association suspended their picketing at the Headquarters of Buffer Stock Company due to concrete assurance giving to them by the Minister for Agriculture and the Chief Executive Officer for Buffer Stock.
However, unknown to the Suppliers, the assurance giving by their employers are the normal political talk because, the money was not ready and cannot be paid on the stipulated date, (17th of July, 2023) as assured.
This, forced the suppliers to organize a press conference yesterday to express their disappointment and anger to authorities for deceiving them.
It would be recalled that, National Food Suppliers Association (NFSA), in one of their press conference at the time of picketing, accused the Minister for Education, Hon. Osei Adutwum and the Chief Executive Officer for National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), Alhaji Hanan Abdul-Wahab for deliberately refusing to pay them of their two years locked up monies as a result of food items supplied to the various schools in the country.
It took the intervention and assurance of the Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Bryan Achiampong, who promised on a possible payment by 17th July, 2023 before the Association suspended the picketing.
It was based on the Minister’s assurance that the Free SHS Food Suppliers suspended their picketing and summoned all members from far and near to come for their cheques at the Buffer Stock yesterday.
The Association members according to the Spokesperson, Mr. Koku Amedume arrived at the Buffer Stock Headquarters as early as 6 am yesterday and stayed there till 2pm, where they were called by the CEO of Buffer Stock and told them that the money is not ready to be given to them.
He hinted that, after pressing to know when the money would be given to them, no specific time was given by the CEO but the only thing he told them is that, the money would be paid this week.
” We were not satisfied with the responses of the Chief Executive of Buffer Stock Company. Indeed at that meeting he told us that, he does not deal with an Association. He is dealing with the individual members in the Association and does not recognized us and so, he does not want to deal with them”.
Members he stressed, were made to understand that payment would be made to them on the 17th of July, 2023 making them to travel from all over the Regions to the Buffer Stock Headquarters and only to be told that, the money is not ready.
Mr. Amedume explained that, members were called from across the region base on the assurance giving them.
He hinted that, information gotten indicate that authorities are planning to pay them part payment of their monies.
“Members this morning went to the Buffer Stock with the hope of going for their monies only to be told by the CEO that, there is no money for them and that, he does not recognized the Association”.
“We are not ready to take any part payment. If that happens, we have no options than to resume the picketing that is, if Authorities failed to settle the full payment by Thursday and we will not listen to any Minister” .
Members he indicated, are disappointed in the comment made by the CEO of Buffer Stock that, he would not deal with any Association because he does not recognized them. “We have not said the money should be paid through the Association. It is the individuals that they owe them”.
The Association he voiced out, was formed by the individuals who thought it wise to come together and fight for a common goal.
Government it is said, owes members of the free SHS Food Suppliers an amount of 270 Ghana Cedis since 2021 till date,
