Oct 20, 2026
The Conference of Heads of Second Cycle Schools (CHASS) says it is deeply concerned about the rising reported cases of indiscipline among students and staff in senior high schools (SHSs).
It strongly condemned such acts and “assure parents and stakeholders of our firm and continuous commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all students.”
“We will support any appropriate sanctions meted out to any staff if found culpable, while insisting on a fair and unbiased process,” CHASS said in a communique issued at the end of its 64th Annual National Conference in the Volta Region.
It was on the theme: “Student Discipline in a Challenging World: Context, Challenges and a Constructive Way Forward.”
The communique was signed by the President of CHASS, Rev. Fr Stephen Owusu Sekyere and General Secretary Primus Baro.
Delays in release of funds
It said the primary challenge confronting CHASS was the long delays in the release of insufficient funds, in spite of the establishment of a dedicated source of funding for free SHS, which was strongly advocated by CHASS.
“We would no longer accept excuses and explanations of data discrepancies that led to the bitter experience in the 2025/26 academic year where first-year funds were withheld for the whole year.
We look forward to the full payment of all arrears, including the legacy arrears of recurrent grant spanning 2021 to 2024 to enable schools to clear their longstanding indebtedness to benevolent creditors,” it said.
On emergency procurement, it said heads were officially authorised by the Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to urgently procure food items to feed students in November/December 2025.
Unfortunately, it said the money was yet to be released to pay the suppliers, some of whom were chasing innocent heads for their money.
“We request that this be settled without any further delays to relieve heads of this overwhelming burden,” it said.
Upward adjustment of perishable feeding grant
The communique said the current rate of GH ¢2.85 per student per day for perishable items no longer reflected market realities.
The same challenge, it said, applied to all items under the recurrent grant.
“We strongly appeal to the Government to upwardly adjust these allocations to align with current economic conditions and to ensure that students are fed with nutritious meals,” it said.
Regarding waiver of VAT on school procurement, it said it was worrying to note that procurement of perishable food items and other basic academic resources attracted 20% VAT, as insisted by auditors.
“We appeal to government to urgently waive such tax since its incidence is burdening the already woefully inadequate funds”.
The heads requested clarity on government policy of decentralised procurement of 40 per cent of essential food items at the school level, as originally proposed, in order to feed students effectively and to impact the local economy.
Restoration of PTAs
The heads said it had been a year since the government announced the restoration of parent-teacher associations (PTAs) in schools. Unfortunately, it said some legal controversies were affecting the effective operationalisation, even when parents were prepared to support schools to create a congenial atmosphere for their wards.
It said the longer that impasse is prolonged, the more schools/students suffer.
“We request that parents/guardians should freely be allowed to exercise their duty of care in the best interest of their wards in the respective schools without let or hindrance,” it said.
It noted with grave concern the deteriorating security situation in schools and, therefore, recommended a paradigm shift from the outdated watchman system to the deployment of properly trained, well-equipped and educated security personnel to meet the current security challenges.
The heads further requested for urgent recruitment of other critical non-teaching staff to fill existing vacancies.
Source:https://www.graphic.com.gh
Oct 20, 2026
Rice farmers in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region have expressed profound appreciation to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for supporting them with 650 bags of rice seeds to boost rice production in the
district.
The farmers said the supply of the 45-kilogramme bags of seeds was a significant intervention towards improving agricultural productivity, strengthening food security, and supporting the livelihoods of rice farming households.
They however appealed to the Ministry for urgent additional support in the form of fertilizers to enable them to sustain production during the current season.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Ve Golokuati, the farmers said they were currently confronted with serious economic challenges arising from the glut of rice produced during the previous season.
Meanwhile, the District Agriculture Director, Mr Divine Senanu Agbegoe said the excess supply of rice, coupled with limited market access and inadequate purchasing capacity among buyers, had resulted in low farm-gate prices and difficulties in selling harvested paddy rice.
It said many farmers had been unable to recover their production costs, settle outstanding debts and generate sufficient income to sustain their farming activities, leaving them without the necessary capital to purchase essential inputs such as fertilizers, weedicides and pesticides.
He also noted that, although the farmers had benefited from the supply of rice seeds, access to seeds alone was insufficient to ensure successful production, and without complementary inputs, they may be compelled to apply inadequate quantities of fertilizers, leading to reduced productivity and lower-quality produce.
“The farmers are therefore facing a difficult situation: the rice glut has reduced their income, the loss of income has deprived them of the capital needed to purchase inputs, and the lack of inputs now threatens this year’s production,” the statement said.
It warned that without urgent intervention; the cycle could undermine the gains made through the Ministry’s previous support and further weaken the economic livelihoods of rice-producing households in the district.
The farmers therefore appealed to the Ministry to provide fertilizers through a targeted intervention for verified rice farmers and Farmer-Based Organisations (FBOs), based on their cultivated acreage, number of beneficiaries and actual input requirements.
They further appealed to the Ministry and relevant stakeholders to facilitate access to reliable markets, rice processing facilities, storage infrastructure and institutional purchasing arrangements to help reduce distress sales and improve farmers’ bargaining power.
Mr Ibrahim Musah who is a farmer, said they remained committed to contributing to Ghana’s food security objectives and increasing domestic rice production but said immediate assistance was necessary to enable them to return to their farms with the required inputs.
He expressed gratitude to the Ministry for its continued commitment to supporting Ghanaian farmers and expressed the hope that the appeal would be given the necessary consideration
Source:https://gna.org.gh/
Oct 20, 2026
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has announced that Japan Motors Trading Company Limited has donated five branded motorcycles towards the 42nd National Farmers’ Day celebration.
In a press release issued on Monday, October 19, 2026, the Ministry said the donation qualified the company as a silver sponsor of the annual event, which recognises the contributions of farmers and fishers to Ghana’s development.
“The Ministry remains deeply grateful to the Company for its dedicated commitment to support the celebration and the promotion of agricultural development in Ghana,” the statement, signed by the Ministry’s Public Relations Unit, said.
The Ministry described the donation as a recognition of the important role farmers and fishers play in national development and an example of private-sector support for agricultural promotion.
It called on other corporate organisations, financial institutions, development partners and individuals to contribute towards the upcoming celebration.
The Ministry said the annual event provides a national platform to recognise the hard work and achievements of farmers and fishers, whose activities are central to food security, employment and economic growth.
National Farmers’ Day is an annual celebration held to honour farmers and fishers across Ghana for their contributions to agricultural production and national food security.
The 42nd edition is expected to take place later this year, with corporate sponsors and other partners supporting its organisation.
Japan Motors’ donation adds to the support being mobilised for the celebration as the Ministry encourages more private-sector participation.
Source:https://www.myjoyonline.com
Oct 20, 2026
Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, has announced plans to increase the GHS15 per-student feeding allocation under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme in the 2027 Budget.
He also disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama had directed the inclusion of chicken and eggs in an improved menu for students in all public senior high schools under the programme.
Mr Iddrisu made the announcements at the opening ceremony of the 64th Annual National Conference of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in Ho on Wednesday.
He said the government had engaged the Minister of Finance on the proposed adjustment but would announce the new feeding rate through the 2027 Budget estimates.
The Minister said he had also engaged the Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Buffer Stock Company and was working with the Ghana Commodity Exchange to facilitate the introduction of chicken and eggs into school meals, subject to procurement requirements.
Mr Iddrisu further announced the government’s commitment to settle about GHS161 million in outstanding arrears owed to senior high schools for perishable food supplies and other recurrent expenses covering 2021 to 2025.
He said the amounts had been audited and validated, and the government would work with the Ministry of Finance to facilitate payment.
The Minister said following the uncapping of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), government allocated between GHS3 billion and GHS4.2 billion under the GETFund formula, with about 42 per cent dedicated to the Free SHS programme.
He said the government was also considering a funding arrangement under which schools would receive their annual allocations for perishable food supplies directly at the beginning of the academic year, subject to lawful procurement procedures.
He urged CHASS to submit proposals on the annual cost of perishable food items to help establish a predictable funding and disbursement system.
Mr Iddrisu said the measures formed part of efforts to address feeding and financial challenges confronting senior high schools and improve the management of resources under the Free SHS programme.
Source: https://www.myjoyonline.com
Oct 20, 2026
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) says bigger harvests will not secure food supplies or farm incomes without storage, processing and reliable markets, in a World Food Day statement.
The group pointed to tomato growers in parts of the Volta Region and around Ada. It said seasonal gluts there have left farmers struggling to recover their costs despite higher output. It said rice and maize farmers face the same problem.
That warning sits awkwardly beside national price data. The Ghana Statistical Service reported that fresh tomato prices in September 2026 were 153.4 percent higher than a year earlier. Tomatoes were the single largest contributor to the month’s 5.2 percent inflation rate, accounting for 20.3 percent of it. Seasonal gluts in some districts and steep prices for consumers elsewhere point to the gap PFAG describes: a lack of storage and processing to carry produce from harvest to market.
Innovation farmers can afford
The statement marked World Food Day on 16 October, held this year under the Food and Agriculture Organization’s theme, “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.” PFAG’s Executive Director, Bismark Owusu Nortey, said agricultural innovation must solve farmers’ everyday problems and not focus on advanced technology most smallholders cannot afford.
He listed improved seeds, irrigation, climate information, digital extension support, soil-health practices, agroecology, storage and local processing as tools that could raise output and resilience. He warned that none would work without affordable access, proper implementation and dependable markets.
The association raised several regional pressures. Long dry spells and erratic rain in the Kassena area of the Upper East Region were threatening crop establishment and household food supplies. It called for timely weather information, drought-tolerant seed, suitable irrigation and practical extension services. It also asked for new ways to protect rice fields from migratory birds.
It said a shortage of affordable tractors, planters, harvesters and threshers kept farming labour-intensive and caused delays and post-harvest losses. It urged wider access to mechanisation, particularly for women and young farmers.
Government’s mechanisation drive
The government’s main response is the Feed Ghana Programme, launched in April 2025. It plans 50 Farmer Service Centres that will rent out tractors, harvesters and other machinery to farmers. Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku said on 10 October that 15 centres were under construction and would be running by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Delivery has been uneven. Farmer groups, including PFAG, complained in July that seeds, fertiliser and other inputs promised under the programme arrived months into the planting season.
PFAG urged government, development partners, universities, banks and private firms to invest in farm infrastructure and improve farmers’ access to land, finance, technology, training and markets. It said farmer organisations should help design and run agricultural programmes so that spending matches local conditions.
It also asked consumers to buy locally grown food and waste less.
Oct 20, 2026
Stakeholders in the agriculture sector in Obuasi and two local municipal assemblies are forging ahead to transform the town from its known status as a gold mining community to a rich agricultural hub to feed the country.
In collaboration with AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine, the maiden Agrifair is organised to promote agribusiness, create employment opportunities for young people and strengthen agricultural production in the Adansi area and beyond.
The maiden fair assembled agricultural producers, processors, buyers, financial institutions, government agencies and other stakeholders to explore partnerships to expand farming businesses and improve productivity.
The initiative forms part of activities to commemorate the 2026 World Food Day and reflects the AGA’s 10-year socioeconomic development plan (SEDP), prioritizing sustainable livelihoods, agriculture, enterprise development, skills development and local economic growth.
The initiative aimed at creating market opportunities for locally produced agricultural goods while promoting agriculture, agro-processing and local enterprise development.
Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine, Samuel Pobi, noted that the fair was crucial to strengthening agriculture, promoting local enterprise and creating sustainable economic opportunities.
“Our support for agriculture is not new. Through our community development and livelihood interventions, we continue to support initiatives that strengthen agricultural productivity, improve processing capacity and create opportunities for income generation,” he said.
The event is expected to provide a platform for farmers and other stakeholders to explore business opportunities, share ideas and identify ways to make agriculture more productive and attractive to young people.
Mr. Pobi added that creating opportunities within the agricultural sector could contribute to improved livelihoods and encourage more people, particularly the youth, to consider farming and related businesses as viable sources of income.
The program also saw the handover of some agricultural inputs and modern processing equipment to selected farmers and processing groups.
Obuasi MCE, Faustilove Appiah Kennin, shared that the town cannot rely on its mineral resources alone for sustainable growth but must also turn to other ventures to promote economic growth.
“Obuasi is recognized for its rich mineral resources as the contributory of mining to local and national economy, however, you’d realize that sustainable and economic development requires us to diversify our economic activities and create additional source of employment,” she said.
Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting farmers with agricultural equipment and inputs to improve productivity and increase food production.
He stressed that farmers needed access to the necessary resources to expand their operations and contribute more effectively to the growth of Ghana’s agricultural sector.
The fair was held on the theme: “Building Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security and Economic Growth in Obuasi”.
Source:https://www.myjoyonline.com
