The late National Coordinator of the School Feeding Programme, Gertrude Quashigah, died on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at age 63.

She was not only a distinguished personality in her role as the coordinator of the National School Feeding Program, but she was also a key contributor to the Ghanaian food sector.

Gertrude Quashigah was also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Ambar Quality Foods Limited.

During her tenure as the National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme, Gertrude Quashigah played a pivotal role in ensuring that children nationwide had access to nutritious meals.

The program aimed to boost school enrolment, attendance, and retention while enhancing the overall health and well-being of students.

However, there were a few moments during her tenure that put her in the news headlines beyond the obvious news about her role.

They stemmed, principally, from her clashes with the then Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo, among others.

Here are some key highlights from her tenure as national coordination for the school feeding program:

Adwoa Safo sacks School Feeding Programme boss

The appointment of Gertrude Quashigah as National Coordinator of the School Feeding Programme was terminated by the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection on Tuesday, May 18, 2021.

She was instructed by the then minister, Sarah Adowa Safo, to hand over documents and government property in her custody to the Chief Director of the ministry.

Specific reasons for the termination of her appointment was not given in the letter, however, the gender ministry leveled a number of allegations against the late Gertrude Quashigah.

“There are a lot of issues bedeviling the programme under her watch including non payment of caterers, poor working relationship with directors of the programme and her deputy, taking unilateral decisions without consulting the minister,” the letter stated in part.

Adwoa Safo makes U-turn, withdraws letter sacking School Feeding boss

Barely 72 hours after the minister terminated the appointment of Madam Gertrude Quashigah, the minister made a U-turn on her decision.

GhanaWeb reported on May 21, 2021 that the minister said the dismissal was "as a result of administrative error."

It released a statement to that effect and directed the late Gertrude Quashigah to resume her duties as National Coordinator of the School Feeding Project.

“I write in respect of the above subject matter. This is to inform you of my decision to withdraw my earlier letter dated 18th May 2021. I wish to state that my earlier letter was as a result of administrative error,” the statement read.

Why Adwoa Safo fired School Feeding programme boss

On May 24, 2021, GhanaWeb obtained a document that gave an insight into why Sarah Adwoa Safo, decided to terminate the contract of Gertrude Quashigah.

In a letter dated April 5, 2021, Sara Adwoa Safo raised concerns about the lack of cooperation from Gertrude Quashigah in an ongoing audit of payments to caterers under the school feeding programme.

The gender minister subsequently ordered Gertrude Quashigah to immediately furnish the auditors with all relevant documents and co-operate with the auditors.

I waited six hours at Gender Ministry but never met Adwoa Safo – School Feeding boss

The late Gertrude Quashigah, in October 17, 2021, disclosed that unlike her predecessors, she did not share a strong bond with Sarah Adwoa Safo, who was then the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection.

Gertrude Quashigah added that she had a mutually respectful and warm relationship with former ministers Otiko Djaba and Cynthia Morrison, but the same could not be said of Adwoa Safo.

She revealed that, at the time, she was yet to meet Adwoa Safo since she was appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Gertrude Quashigah said efforts were made from her side to hold talks with the ministry, under which her directorate operated, but was unsuccessful.

She cited an incident where she spent more than six hours at the ministry but never had the chance to meet Adwoa Safo.

Appearance before Dzamefe Commission:

In 2014, Gertrude Quashigah testified before the Dzamefe Commission, following the World Cup in Brazil.

Her company had been contracted by the World Cup Committee to provide feeding for about 300 football fans airlifted to the South American country to cheer the national team, the Black Stars, during the tournament.

During her appearance, Gertrude Quashigah told the commission that the prices of the foodstuffs she bought to cooked had been inflated.

Quashigah justified said that although the monies they had received had to be converted into the local currency; the Brazilian Real, the figures that were quoted for the things she bought were outrageous.

She explained that there was nowhere in the world a person could go and purchase foodstuff in that quantity, in dollars, referring to one particular occasion items she bought were pegged at $37,720.

She told the committee that about the $91,800 that was to be given to the 612 supporters who were sent to cheer the Black Stars at the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup as pocket money, and which was allegedly deducted from the three caterers' budget, was not given to the supporters.

She added that neither did they know anything about it.

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

WN/AE

You can also watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below: