Free SHS food suppliers threaten five-day protest over unpaid debts

The Controlled Food Suppliers Association (CFSA) has announced plans to stage a five-day demonstration at the Ghana Commodity Exchange (GCX) in Accra over unpaid debts for food supplies delivered under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme in 2024.

The protest is scheduled to take place from November 16 to 20, 2026, as the association presses the Exchange to pay outstanding amounts it says are owed to its members.

In a formal notice addressed to the management of the Ghana Commodity Exchange, the CFSA said several attempts to secure payment had not yielded results, leaving affected suppliers increasingly frustrated.

The association recalled that it issued the GCX a two-week ultimatum on October 7, 2026, demanding that the outstanding payments be settled. However, the deadline expired on October 21 without a resolution.

It said the decision to embark on the demonstration followed the Exchange’s failure to adequately address its concerns despite repeated engagements and follow-ups.

In the notice, signed by its Administrative Secretary, Cornelius Korku Logo, the association said its leadership had exhausted available avenues to recover the money owed to its members.

“The leadership of the Association has at all times acted in utmost good faith in demanding monies legitimately owed to its members. However, the prolonged delay in the payments in spite of the persistent follow-ups and the apparent decision by GCX to disregard the Association’s two weeks’ notice given on 7th October 2026, which lapsed on 21st October 2026, has compelled the Association to take this rather difficult but reasonably necessary option to demand the settlement of monies owed to its members,” the notice stated.

The planned protest is expected to intensify pressure on the Ghana Commodity Exchange and other relevant authorities to resolve the payment dispute and settle the outstanding debts.