Kumasi, Jan 20, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has cautioned caterers and supervisors of the Ghana School Feeding Programme not to take advantage of the programme and steal foodstuffs.

"This can lead to the collapse of the programme," he said at the launch of the School Feeding Programme for the Kumasi metropolis at Kotei near Kumasi on Thursday.

He said since the programme stood the chance of increasing enrolment and reducing the burden of parents in terms of adequate feeding for their children, there was the need for its sustenance. Mr Owusu-Ansah suggested the institution of school feeding farms across the country to support funds the government would release. Madam Patricia Appiagyei, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, said it was only through education that the country could build a solid human resource base towards a rapid socio-economic development.

She said the programme, which started last term, has seven clusters with over 20,000 pupils in 33 schools and that 15 clusters involving 44 schools and 23,567 pupils would soon be catered for. Madam Appiagyei said the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly had plans to build dinning facilities for the schools to reduce the incidence of eating in unhealthy surroundings.