The Federal Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development have handed over feeding utensils to the Nasarawa State Government to enable them carry on with the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
The National Home Grown School Feeding Program is one of the four key interventions of the Federal Government, under the National Social Investment Program which is aimed at boosting school enrolment, nutrition and local economic activities across communities in Nigeria. It is also aimed at impacting the lives and livelihood of individuals, groups, communities and addressing issues of malnutrition and poverty.
The School Feeding Program is a collaboration between the Federal and State Government where the FG is responsible for the release of funds, guidelines, policies and monitoring while the State carry out the day to day implementation which includes procurement of food items, selection of cooks and vendors who prepare and serve the meals to pupils.
According to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadia Umar Farouk, over nine million pupils are currently benefiting from the program with over 100,000 cooks tasked with the responsibility of preparing this meals for them. She adds that the Federal Government is working on adding 5 million pupils to the program.
She further stated that the ministry is working tirelessly to ensure that quality of meal is improved, capacity Development of all actors In the value chain, Development of Evidence Based Policy Frameworks to guide implementation, build strategic partnerships, support School Health Nutrrition, Data Upgrade and Management as well as Improved Monitoring and Evaluation Systems.
The Minister added that Extensive layered and technology supported monitoring system that will give real time information of how the program is been implemented and areas that need urgent intervention and correction have been deployed . She however assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to continue to improve Service delivery on all its Social Interventions programs.
On his part, the Executive Governor of Nassarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule who was represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Hon Murtala Lamus thanked the Federal Government for her support to the State’s School Feeding Program.
He said, the school feeding program started in Nasarawa State in the year 2019 with a total number of 1,200 cooks and 86,329 pupils, the number have now increased to 2,768 cooks and 194,649 pupils currently benefitting from the program.
He says the State is committed towards ensuring continuous sensitization of individuals and communities through the various structures on the importance of the program and the need to safeguard it from all forms of corrupt practices by those who have been entrusted the responsibility of preparing the meals, supply the food items and coordinate the activities.
The Governor therefore commends efforts of the Minister of Humanitarin Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for her efforts in rebranding and face lifting the NSIP to a world class mode of social security.
It is the hope of all that the Nasarawa State Government will utilize all that have been provided by the Federal Government for the right reasons.
