Politics and the Ghana school feeding programme in the Ga West and Effutu municipalities

Abstract

This study sought to examine the institutional politics around the implementation of the Ghana School feeding Programme (GSFP). The aim of the study was to examine the effects of politics on the implementation of the GSFP in the Ga West and Effutu Municipalities of the Greater Accra and Central Regions respectively. The study adopted qualitative research methodology and purposive sampling was used to select 63 respondents. The research instrument used for data collection was an interview guide containing key questions of interest to the study. The study found that there was stakeholder collaboration in the implementation of the GSFP. The structures vital to the implementation of the school feeding programme at the District level such as the District Implementation Committees and the School Implementation Committees were not functioning to expectation in the Effutu Municipality whilst they were functioning better in the Ga West Municipality. From the analysis, the first two objectives of the GSFP had been met to a large extent in both Municipalities. The third objective had, however, not been achieved in both Municipalities. Also, the level of community participation varied in the two Municipalities. The Ga West Municipality had some appreciable level of participation whilst the Effutu Municipality had very little community involvement. From the results, I argued that the District level structures should be strengthened to better supervise the Ghana School Feeding Programme. I recommend that validation and sensitization workshops should be organized to get the beneficiary communities involved in the implementation of the GSFP at the district levels. There should be a district level procurement agency to buy foodstuffs grown locally from the local farmers and sell to the caterers in order to boost local agriculture and local economy.