Apr 29, 2026
The Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), George Abradu-Otoo, has undertaken a two-day working visit to the Upper East Region to assess food supply systems in Senior High Schools and inspect storage facilities across the region.
The visit took him to Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School (BOGISS) and Bolgatanga Technical Institute, where he engaged school authorities on the effectiveness of the buffer stock programme.
At BOGISS, the Headmistress, Gifty Ayamba, commended NAFCO for its consistent delivery of food items, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.
“I must say that we are honoured to be part of the selected schools, and we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to you for the support that you have given us so far. We have been getting our food, and as it stands now, I can say that we are comfortable as far as the grains and other products are concerned,” she stated
She added, “So far, we haven’t encountered any challenges as far as the buffer food distribution is concerned… If we are going to rate, at least, I will score Buffer Stock 8 over 10. It’s a human institution, so definitely there will be some gaps, but so far it has been good.”
The CEO also interacted with the Upper East Regional Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), Richard Akumbase, who suggested that integrating local suppliers into the system could improve efficiency and boost local economies.
“When community members come to us and say they have produce but don’t know where to sell, we are unable to procure. If Buffer Stock can buy from them, it will help the local economy because the money will circulate within the community,” he noted.
Mr. Abradu-Otoo also inspected NAFCO warehouses at Pusu-Namongo and Zuarungu to assess their condition and readiness for storage under the national food reserve programme.
Earlier, he paid a courtesy call on the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council and later visited the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive. He expressed satisfaction with feedback from the schools.
“All the schools that we went to were full of praise for us. For the first time in so many years, headmasters and headmistresses can go to sleep without worrying about where the next meal is going to come from for the students,” he stated.
Mr. Abradu-Otoo also clarified that recent concerns about food shortages in schools were not linked to NAFCO.
“This is not about Buffer Stock. Buffer Stock doesn’t supply perishables. We supply only non-perishables like rice, sugar, maize, millet, and sorghum,” he explained, adding that delays in reimbursement for perishables were the real concern for school authorities.
Among the entourage are Emmanuel J.K Arthur, Head of Corporate Affairs; Arnold Kojo Akah, Head of Operations; Aziz Peregrino-Brimah, National Coordinator, National Food Reserve Programme; and Albert Adongo, Upper East Regional Manager of NAFCO.
Source: A1Radioonline
Apr 29, 2026
The World Food Programme (WFP) is set to finance the construction of an ultra-modern, large-capacity warehouse for the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) in Tamale.
This is part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s food security systems.
The facility, designed for grain storage, will include a dedicated laboratory and other support infrastructure to enhance quality control and storage efficiency.
The initiative is aligned with government’s broader strategy to improve food security across the country.
In addition, WFP is deploying two Mobile Storage Units (MSUs) to support NAFCO operations in different parts of Ghana.
These developments emerged during a courtesy call by NAFCO Chief Executive Officer, George Abradu-Otoo, on the Head of the WFP Bolgatanga Sub-Office, Vimbayi Dhliwayo. The visit formed part of a two-day working tour of the Upper East Region.
Mr Abradu-Otoo has been touring the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Savannah Regions to assess the condition of warehouses and their readiness for emergency stock storage, as NAFCO prepares to roll out Phase Two of the National Food Reserve Programme.
The tour is also aimed at strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders and partners in agriculture and food security.
During discussions, officials from both NAFCO and WFP reaffirmed their commitment to deepening their partnership to improve food systems, enhance livelihoods and ensure greater food security.
As part of the visit, the NAFCO team held separate meetings with senior officials of the Upper East Regional Administration and the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly.
Mr Abradu-Otoo also inspected stored food commodities at Bolgatanga Girls Secondary School and Bolgatanga Secondary Technical School, where he engaged the Headmistress, Gifty Ayamba, and the Regional Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), Richard Ayabilla, on issues relating to food supply under the Free SHS programme.
The NAFCO boss further inspected warehouse facilities at Zualungu and Pusu-Namongo.
He was accompanied by key officials, including the Coordinator of the National Food Reserve, Aziz Peregrino-Brimah; Head of Operations, Arnold Kojo Akah; and Head of Corporate Affairs, Emmanuel J.K Arthur.
Apr 29, 2026
The Roman Catholic Church in the Upper West Region has signalled its readiness to support the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) in strengthening Ghana’s food security system.
The move is aimed at improving sustainability and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers and actors across the agricultural value chain.
The Catholic Bishop of the Wa Diocese, Most Rev. Francis Bomansaan, made this known when NAFCO Chief Executive Officer, George Abradu-Otoo, paid a courtesy call on him in Wa during a working visit to the region.
Bishop Bomansaan stressed that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of ensuring a hunger-free society.
He disclosed that the Church is offering two silos to NAFCO to help expand grain storage capacity in the region.
Mr Abradu-Otoo welcomed the gesture and commended the Catholic Church for its strong commitment to national development.
As part of his visit, the NAFCO CEO inspected several warehouses in the Upper West Region and engaged with heads of some second-cycle schools on food supply challenges.
In the Savannah Region, he also toured a 1,000-metric-tonne warehouse in Sawla earmarked for rehabilitation under the National Food Reserve Programme.
He was accompanied by the District Chief Executive for Sawla, Sinkina Saka, and officials from NAFCO.
Apr 29, 2026
The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) is proposing new storage and technology-driven reforms to improve efficiency in Ghana’s school feeding system.
Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs, Emmanuel Arthur, disclosed that inadequate storage facilities remain a major bottleneck affecting food distribution.
To address this, he revealed that NAFCO has offered to make its warehouses available to schools across the country.
“Our CEO has written to the Minister for Education to allow schools to use our warehouses where necessary. We will also absorb transportation costs to ease the burden,” Arthur said on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (20 April).
He also highlighted plans to deploy technology that would enable real-time tracking of food deliveries.
“We want a system where someone can sit in an office and monitor the movement of food trucks minute by minute,” he added.
Arthur further indicated that the company is working with the Ministry of Education to revise the national school feeding menu to improve nutritional outcomes, particularly portion sizes for students.
The reforms, he said, are aimed at ensuring sustainability as the programme evolves from basic feeding to improved nutrition delivery.
Source: Asaase Radio
Apr 29, 2026
The National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) has rejected claims of food shortages in Ghana’s school feeding system, insisting that schools currently have adequate supplies of non-perishable commodities.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (20 April), Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs at NAFCO, Emmanuel Arthur, said reports suggesting a shortage are inaccurate.
According to him, the real challenge lies in the provision of perishable items such as vegetables and meat, not staple food supplies.
“There is no food shortage. Schools have more than enough non-perishable food. The issue has to do with perishables and the cost of preparing meals,” he explained.
Arthur noted that school authorities are struggling to procure these items due to delayed payments, prompting calls for government to settle outstanding debts owed to suppliers.
He added that NAFCO and the Ghana Commodity Exchange currently supply about 18 non-perishable food items to schools, while institutions themselves are responsible for sourcing perishables.
The clarification comes amid concerns from parents and stakeholders over disruptions in school feeding in some parts of the country.
Source: Asaase Radio
Apr 29, 2026
Government has announced plans to procure two rice mills this year as part of efforts to address growing frustration among rice farmers and strengthen Ghana’s food security system.
The CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), George Abradu-Otoo, disclosed this during a courtesy call on the King and Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Abukari II, at Yendi.
He said one of the mills will be sited in the Northern Region to ease the burden on rice farmers who often struggle to process their paddy rice after harvest.
The intervention, he noted, forms part of broader measures to deal with grain glut challenges and improve food distribution systems across the country.
“I know the importance of this region to food security in the country. I will do anything possible to ensure the greater participation of farmers in all our dealings,” Mr Abradu-Otoo said.
He explained that the planned investment is expected to improve value addition, reduce post-harvest losses and enhance rice production efficiency in key farming areas.
The NAFCO CEO is currently on a five-day working visit across the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Savannah Regions.
The tour includes visits to selected second-cycle institutions to assess food supply under the Free Senior High School programme and inspections of ongoing warehouse rehabilitation projects under the National Food Reserve programme.
As part of the visit, Mr Abradu-Otoo and his team toured Yendi Senior High School and Dabokpa Secondary Technical School, where school authorities expressed satisfaction with the consistency of food supply since 2025.
He also inspected warehouses in Yendi and Tamale to assess their readiness for the next phase of national food storage operations.
The Yaa Naa Abubakari II commended NAFCO’s role in supporting national food sufficiency, stressing the importance of the agency’s performance to both farmers and food security.
“When NAFCO fails, farmers suffer, and food security is compromised,” the Yaa Naa said.
Mr Abradu-Otoo also held separate discussions with the Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, and the Lamanshegu Naa, Naa Iddrisu Mohammed, in Tamale as part of his regional engagements.
