Following a newspaper advocacy on the difficulties the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD) had in marketing their chalk, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has offered to buy all 30,000 boxes of chalk the society has in stock. Officials and staff of the GSPD were all smiles last Friday as the GES offered to purchase 50.000 bows or chalk per annum from the society. On August 15, the GSPD received a contract document from the GES informing the society that the G ES had awarded them contract for the supply of White Chalk for Basic Schools. Mr. Samuel Bannerman Mensah, Director General, GES signed the document dated August 8, which also informed GSPD that “The total contract is GH ¢ 10.500.00 inclusive of delivery cost to GES PREP I Warehouse at Tema within twelve weeks” from the date the document was signed. The document emphasized that “the white chalk must conform to the minimum specifications,” namely soft, non toxic, dustless, cylindrical,, standard size (8cm in length) and 100 pieces stick per box. “Any delivery short of the required technical specifications shall be rejected outright and appropriate sanctions applied,” the document warned. In addition, the document stated, "Any unexcused delay by the supplier in the performance of its delivery obligations shall render the supplier liable to a minimum pen¬alty of 0.5% of the delivery price of the delayed goods for each week of delay until actual delivery up to a maximum deduction of I0% of the delayed goods. The GSPD had been compelled to lay off all 19 physically challenged employees of its chalk production department because it did not get buyers for the chalk it has in stock. The National Administrator of the GSPD, Alexander Tetteh indicated that the society's next line of action would be to package the boxes of chalk as specified in the document for delivery. Mr. Tetteh indicated that the society is not perturbed by the conditions set for them in the contract document because they do not see themselves as incapable of meeting the standards . He stated that the society is ready to recall the staff for commencement of production and said, "I want to say that what we would be producing for now will be the stock that will be piling up for the GES next year." Mr. Tetteh disclosed that the GES has promised to give them a yearly quota but negotiations are yet to be firmed up because a letter confirming the GES commitment to the annual contract is pending. " I hope that they will stick to their word and be able to provide a letter or be able to give us the contract." That notwithstanding, Mr. Tetteh expressed the society's gratitude for the GES' offer to purchase the 30,000 boxes. Asked if the funds accruing from the purchase can offset the society's financial obligations, he replied in the negative. He revealed that the society owes about 30 million cedis (GH¢ 3,000) being two months salary for the workers. Besides, it has to continue paying workers over the next one year until the yearly quota takes effect and also keep the manufacturing equipment in shape. On that score, the society will attempt to re-open negotiations with the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), Mr. Tetteh said. Earlier negotiations the society had with the GNAPS yielded very little results. A contract signed between the two parties, according to Mr. Tetteh did not prove viable because their (GSPD) expectations were not met. "We thought that the association will buy in bulk and distribute it or ask their schools to pick them up but that wasn't the arrangement. " Instead, he said GNAPS introduced the GSPD to member institutions and subsequently issued the society with a letter of introduction that will enable the society to go round the schools to sell the chalk. However, that venture proved quite expensive because purchases could not even cover fuel cost. Source: Public Agenda