Former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Adwoa Safo, has claimed that former President Nana Akufo-Addo withdrew his support for an audit into the school feeding programme after facing internal pressure.

Speaking on Wontumi TV on Wednesday, March 19, the former Dome/Kwabenya Member of Parliament alleged that corruption and mismanagement have severely undermined the programme, which was originally designed to provide meals for students in public schools.

She called on the government of President John Dramani Mahama to take urgent steps to reform the initiative, warning that unchecked corruption is draining resources.

“The rot and the corruption that is going on at the school feeding sector is serious. This government should pay attention to that sector. Former President John Agyekum Kufuor had a great vision around the school feeding programme, but the way it has been twisted is a serious matter,” she stated.

Recounting her tenure, Adwoa Safo revealed that former President Akufo-Addo had instructed her to conduct an audit of the programme before funds were disbursed to her ministry. However, after she submitted the report to Cabinet, the President distanced himself from the findings due to mounting pressure from individuals within his own administration.

“The majority of the rot was coming from the Central Region. The backlash that followed my submission of the audit report made President Akufo-Addo deny that he had asked me to conduct it. He told me to set it aside, and that’s where my problems began,” she claimed.

According to her, attempts to investigate financial mismanagement were met with resistance from key officials within the school feeding programme.

“When I was appointed as the Gender Minister, President Akufo-Addo asked me to conduct an audit of the school feeding programme before I would be granted revenue to operate. What was all the money allocated to the programme being used for? I would call this woman—a key official in the programme—once, twice, even three times, and she wouldn’t respond. Instead, she would send a message saying she wasn’t happy with how I was handling her because she had connections in the government and at higher authorities,” she alleged.

Her remarks have reignited calls for greater transparency in the management of the school feeding programme, which has been plagued by allegations of financial mismanagement and inefficiencies over the years.

Meanwhile, the former president and the individuals cited by the former legislator are yet to react to the claims.