Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), a Kwara-based Civil Society Organisation, has expressed displeasure over the absence of National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) in Kwara State.
NHGSFP is part of National Social Investment Programme of President Muhammad Buhari’s administration. In a statement signed by its Coordinator and made available to journalists in Ilorin, ENetSuD disclosed that it engaged NHGSFP to explain why the programme is yet to commence in Kwara State, despite being operational in many other states in Nigeria for about four years.
“We also clarified from NHGSFP whether there is any financial burden of the programme implementation on the side of Kwara State Government (KWSG).
Responding to the queries of ENetSuD, the NHGSFP explained that “The commencement of the school feeding programme is dependent on the readiness of the state government. The state is responsible for providing the administrative personnel and tools required for the programme. If the state is not prepared, the programme cannot commence. The Federal Government is only responsible for funding and the school feeding programme only caters for primary 1-3 pupils”.
The group said NHGSFP also clarified that Feeding of primary 4-6 pupils by the state government is not a condition for the Federal Government to feed primary 1-3 pupils.
“When we contacted the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Muyideen Akorede on the issue, he initially referred us back to NHGSFP to ask what it meant by “administrative personnel and tools required for the programme”, a phrase that was explained to us by NHGSFP to mean that the state government is responsible for providing the list of schools and also choose and train the cooks, vendors, suppliers and everyone that will be participating in the programme. On reporting back to him, Dr. Akorede finally said that the KWSG is currently enrolling and vetting vendors, cooks and suppliers preparatory to accessing the programme in the state.”
ENetSuD however urged the state government (current and incoming administrations) to take NHGSFP seriously, as it will greatly benefit children, farmers and host communities in Kwara State through its multiplier effects.
“The children will benefit from hot nutritionally balanced school meal which reduces hunger, improve education outcomes and reduce the rising trend of out-of-school children. The farmers will benefit from improved access to market of their farm produce and increased income, thereby boosting the economy. The host-communities will benefit from new catering, processing and food handling.”
