… As Minister lauds Kogi NSIP focal Person
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs , Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, on Thursday said over nine million Nigerian pupils have been benefitting from the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) across the country.
Farouk disclosed this at the inauguration of the hand over and distribution of Feeding Utensils for the beneficiaries of the HGSFP in Kogi, at St. Luke Primary School, Adankolo, Lokoja.
The minister noted that the HGSFP which was designed to address poverty in all its forms had succeeded in benefitting over nine million pupils across the country.
She added that over 100,000 women were empowered to cook under the programme.
“This programme at its core is designed to address poverty in all its forms and is a collaboration between the federal and state governments.
”The federal government is responsible for release of funds, guidelines, policies, and monitoring, while the state carries out the day-to-day implementation including procurement of food items, selection of cooks and vendors who prepare, cook and serve the meals to ensure the pupils” she said
Represented by the a Deputy Director, Social Welfare of the ministry Mallam Aliyu Sogudo, the minister said an operational review was underway, to be supported by experts and technical partners.
According to her, the review would ensure that the programme succeed in its objectives such as women empowerment , supporting the girl-child education, creating employment, and improving intergovernmental collaboration.
She appealed to the handlers of the feeding utensils to put the items into proper use for the benefits of the children,
The minister noted that the ministry had deployed an extensive, layered and technology-supported monitoring system that would give the ministry real time information of how the programme was being implemented and the areas that need urgent intervention and correction.
The Minister lauded the State focal Person of NSIP for his excellent performances, said his activities and performance tops in states across the country, urged him to sustain the feat.
In his remarks, the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said the children of the masses were not involved in what happened at the national level before now.
He noted that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the school feeding programme has brought dividend of democracy to the children and their parents.
Bello, who represented by the Secretary to Kogi State Government, Dr Folashade Ayoade, however cautioned the cooks not to convert the feeding utensils into their personal use, but for its intended purposes.
The governor warned that whoever caught indulging in such attitude would not only be sanctioned but also will be prosecuted.
Earlier, the State Focal Person of National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), Hon Abdulkareem Onyekehi, said the HGSFP aimed at delivering school feeding to public primary school pupils, had achieved its objectives in Kogi State.
According to him, school enrolment in Kogi has increased tremendously according to statistics from 115,000 to 258,000 pupils, while malnutrition had reduced drastically.
Onyekehi, who doubles as the Special Adviser to the governor on Special Projects, commended the Minister for the distribution of the feeding utensils, while appreciating President Muhamadu Buhari for the initiative.
He commended the governor for his unalloyed support for the programme, saying, ”we are grateful to our amiable and pragmatic Governor for taking the lead as far as the NSIP is concerned in Kogi State.
Nigerianpost reports that the distribution of the feeding utensils was launched by the Dr Ayoade on behalf of the governor.