Caterers under the Ghana National School Feeding Programme have laid down their tools demanding payment of all arrears owed them.

The caterers who picketed at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection on Monday to mount pressure on government to settle arrears said they have not been paid for the past eight months.

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The caterers numbering over 5,400 nationwide picketed at the Ministry demanding for payment of their contract sum.

Maame Yaa Duodua Appiagyei, spokesperson for the caterers said none of their members have received payment since June 2016.

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Speaking to Accra-based Neat FM, she said "they have been owing us from June 2016 till date. We have been able to cook since the beginning of this term. Now we have exhausted every avenue [and] we don’t have any place to go for help. Because we are using the mobile money system, we cannot go to the banks for loans. Things are very difficult for us and we don’t know where to go."

She added that the situation is not helping their course and therefore wants the government to have a second look at their payment system.

Pupils of public primary schools have to depend on their parents for food during school hours.