The Ashanti Regional Minister Hon Simon Osei-Mensah has told agitating Caterers of the School Feeding Programme he did not become a minister to pamper people who engage in lawlessness.

His comments follow the action of the unpaid caterers who had stormed his office to present a petition on their predicament.

The caterers were there to call on the government to pay them their arrears and also increase the amount for feeding each student under the programme in view of the prevailing economic challenges and price increase in foodstuffs.

According to the caterers, the government owes them three academic terms but has paid only one and all attempt to compel authorities to pay the remainder has fallen on deaf ears

Speaking on Kumasi-based radio Hello FM, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah insisted that he is not going to pamper them because the caterers did not follow due process and protested at the Regional Coordinating Council.

“I’m telling everyone in the Ashanti Region that, so long as I continue to be the Regional Minister, anyone who goes on a demonstration without informing the police, we will deal with that person as the law prescribes. We won’t tolerate lawlessness. I didn’t become regional minister to pamper people… No! We work with the law.” An enraged Minister told Hello FM in an interview monitored by MyNewsGH.com.

He however sympathized with the plight of the caterers he noted had genuine concerns but added that they could have followed due process in staging a demonstration to bring the attention of authorities to their challenges

“The school feeding caterers have a genuine concern but ask them if they have ever come to my office to complain about their issue”, he said.