Free SHS food suppliers threaten five-day protest over unpaid 2024 debts

The Controlled Food Suppliers Association (CFSA) has announced plans to embark on a five-day demonstration at the Ghana Commodity Exchange (GCX) in Accra over outstanding payments for food items supplied under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme in 2024.

The planned protest is scheduled for November 16 to 20, 2026, with the association seeking to compel the GCX to settle what it says are debts owed to its members for supplies delivered under the programme.

In a formal notice to the management of the Ghana Commodity Exchange, the association said repeated efforts to secure payment had failed to produce the desired outcome, leaving members frustrated over the prolonged delays.

The CFSA said it had previously given the GCX a two-week ultimatum on October 7, 2026, to clear the outstanding amounts. However, the deadline expired on October 21 without the matter being resolved.

The association said the decision to demonstrate followed what it described as the failure of the Exchange to respond adequately to its demands, despite several follow-ups and the earlier notice.

In the notice signed by its Administrative Secretary, Cornelius Korku Logo, the association said its leadership had exhausted efforts to pursue the payments through previous engagements.

“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 demonstration is intended to increase pressure on the relevant authorities to address the payment dispute and settle the outstanding debts.