The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has engaged stakeholders for the enumeration exercise of the beneficiaries of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme in Abuja.
Represented by the Deputy Director Social Development, Mr. Emmanuel Udoh, the Minister, at a courtesy visit to the Honourable Minster of State FCT Dr. Ramatu Tijani, said that,” In 2016, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari recognizing the social challenges in our country decided to innovatively take proactive and decisive measures in fighting the effects of absolute poverty and its attending consequences. As a result of due consultations and research, he launched the implementation of the National Social Investment Program (NSIP) which is made up of four unique clusters that are integrated to provide the maximum impact. In its implementation, the NSIP is strategically designed to fully involve all stakeholders most especially the State Governments.
She mentioned that National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Education, National Orientation Agency, National Population Commission, National Youth Service Corp, UBEC and State Education boards are working jointly and closely to verify the existing numbers of beneficiaries on the program and update the records for better effectiveness, transparency and accountability.
She pointed out that over nine million pupils currently benefit from one meal a day during the school term in over 53,000 schools nationwide. With over 100,000 cooks employed, and more than 100,000 small holder farmers participating in this value chain, the NHGSFP is a serious potential for socio-economic development and it needs to be strengthened, scaled up and sustained nationwide.
The representative of the Honourable Minister of State FCT Dr. Ramatu Tijani, Focal Person Federal Capital Territory Chinwendu Eteyen Amba assured that FCT will cooperate with the Ministry and other stakeholders to ensure that the exercise is a success.
Grace Osuji
DD (Information)
7th July, 2021
