The National Food Suppliers Association (NAFSA) has given the National Food Buffer Stock Company a 14-day deadline to clear outstanding obligations.

The suppliers complained that the government had not paid them for over 18 months and that they needed to complain so that they could be paid.

Kwaku Amedume, the national president of the association stated that the government’s unwillingness to pay them has harmed their businesses.

He stated that once the ultimatum period has passed, the organisation intends to picket at the National Food Buffer Stock Company’s headquarters.

He claimed that all efforts to have their outstanding obligations cleared had failed because the government had not listened to their requests.

“The Buffer Stock Company has for the past one and a half years failed to pay for the various foodstuffs supplied to senior high schools by our members.

Apart from several letters to the Office of the Chief of Staff, the Ministry of Education, and the National Food Buffer Stock Company, members of our Association have made several attempts to get the amounts paid, but all have been fruitless.

“We are by this press conference, serving notice to the National Food Buffer Stock Company that failure to pay us in fourteen days from now, we will resort to picketing at the offices of the National Food Buffer Stock Company”, he said.

Meanwhile, the suppliers are also demanding the interest on arrears owed to the Association since June 2022.

“Buffer stock has devalued our money. Pay us with interest” Pay us with our money for peace to prevail “among others stated that the managers of buffer stock for 18 months have failed to pay for various food items supplied to secondary schools under the government-free SHS program.

“We are asking buffer stock managers to pay us interest on the money they owe since June 2022. Taking the prices of commodities that have increased recently, without interest we will not be able to stay in business as banks are on our necks to take over properties and assets.

“Following several letters addressed to the Office of the Chief of Staff, Education ministry, and NAFCO they have given us promises upon promises of plans and arrangements but none of those promises have been fulfilled,” he said.