The Federal Government has announced it has approved increasing the number of pupils under the School Feeding Programme in Borno State from 150,000 to 600,000.
This was disclosed by Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, in Maiduguri on Friday during a meeting with officials of the state government on strengthening the implementation of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) in the state.
What the Minister said
Sadiya Farouq said, “The school feeding programme for which we have gathered today, provides one free meal to over nine million pupils in primary schools across the nation.
“In Borno State, we are providing funds to the State selected vendors and aggregators to feed – 109,022 pupils, 1554 cooks in 473 schools. In that value chain alone hundreds of jobs are created every day and people are earning.
“We have directives from Mr President to add five million more pupils into the school feeding programme. Borno State NSIP has proactively sent in a request to increase the population of pupils on the programme to 600,000.
“This is progress and once we conclude our ongoing verification exercise here in Borno State, we will be able to update our records.”
She added that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is fully committed to the great cause of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, stating that Borno State is important to the FG because there are so many people there who need help.
“This is why we are also today seeking to inform you of these great things that are happening in the nation and in Borno State. This platform is also for us to seek your further support on strengthening the implementation of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Program,” Farouq said.
She urged for more capacity building and provision of adequate budgetary support to the Borno State school feeding programme and the whole of the National Social Investment Programme.
“Facilitate Continuous sensitisation of communities and individuals through the various structures on the importance of the programme and the need for it to be safeguarded from all forms of corrupt practices by those who have been entrusted to prepare the meals, supply the food items, and even coordinate the activities.
“Provide adequate resources to ensure proper monitoring of the activities of the various actors engaged by the state to ensure full compliance of guidelines and responsibilities,” Farouq said.
What you should know
Nairametrics reported in July that the Federal Government stated that 9 million pupils have been enrolled in the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
