The National Association of Institutional Suppliers (NAIS) says it will proceed with a planned picket at the Ministry of Education on Thursday (11 June) despite renewed assurances from government officials that outstanding payments owed to its members under the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme are being processed.

The association is demanding the payment of approximately GHC50 million for school uniforms, house dresses and school cloths supplied to public senior high schools since 2023.

NAIS announced its decision after a meeting with officials of the Free SHS Secretariat on Wednesday, where suppliers were briefed on efforts to settle the arrears and urged to exercise patience.

However, the association said the assurances were insufficient to halt the protest, arguing that repeated promises over the past two years had not resulted in actual payments.

“We have heard these assurances before, but our members are still waiting to be paid,” NAIS President Emmanuel Ayivor said, stressing that the picket would go ahead until concrete action is taken to clear the debt.

According to the association, the prolonged delays have placed severe financial pressure on suppliers and threatened the sustainability of businesses that fulfilled contracts under the government’s flagship education programme.

The planned demonstration is expected to intensify pressure on authorities to address longstanding payment concerns as suppliers seek the immediate release of funds owed for contracts executed since 2023.

The Free SHS programme remains one of the government’s flagship social interventions, providing free secondary education to thousands of students across Ghana, although delays in payments to suppliers and service providers have periodically raised concerns about its implementation.