Sunyani, April 15, GNA- About 77,867 pupils in 183 schools in the Brong Ahafo Region are benefiting from the Ghana School Feeding programme.

The programme was introduced by the government to help reduce extreme hunger and poverty among school children. Mr Ansu Kumi, Regional Co-ordinator of the School Feeding Programme, disclosed this in Sunyani at a one day workshop, to help caterers acquire more knowledge in food preparation to ensure that children are provided with the right nutrients. The workshop was also aimed at sensitizing participants to conform to the health, nutritional and sanitation standards of food preparation. He advised the caterers to ensure that food was prepared in a very hygienic environment to promote the physical and academic growth of the children.

The Regional Co-ordinator cautioned the participants to abide by the rules and regulations of the programme to sustain it, adding that, any worker caught engaging in any negative act would be dealt with accordingly.

Mr Kumi asked the participants to purchase local items to create ready market for peasant farmers, which he said, was an objective of the feeding programme.

He denied allegations made by the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) that the Wenchi Municipality is owed by the Regional Secretariat and asked the Committee "to check their facts well" since the said Municipality was among areas where the programme had been successful.

Mr Charles Kwakye Siaw, Regional nutritionist, took the participants through a nutritional plan to ensure that the children were provided with sumptuous, decent and well balanced food.