School feeding programme: FG vows to deal with saboteurs

The federal government has promised that it will not spare anybody who becomes a stumbling block to the smooth implementation of the National School Home Feeding Programme.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Saddiya Umar Farouk, who made the position of government known at the launch of the scheme at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also gave cogent reasons why the programme was important and necessary.

The minister stated that the scheme was initiated to reduce the effect of the health challenges that long closure of schools due to Covid-19 may visit on the wellbeing of school-age children and their families.

“We do not want our children to be malnourished or starve due to hunger during the Covid-19 lockdown before schools resumed,” the minister said and further explained, during an interview with newsmen, that sufficient amounts of money have been set aside to ensure continuity of the programme.

Hajia Saddiya Farouk warned those charged with the implementation of the program and foodstuff suppliers nationwide to ensure transparency in their activities, warning that relevant anti-corruption agencies like Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Code of Conduct Bureau were incorporated into committees handling the scheme to fish out people who may plan to divert materials for personal gain.

Executive Chairman of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], Alhaji Abdullahi Sulaiman Sabo, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for choosing Kuje as flag-off centre for the scheme in the territory and hoped that it will help boost school enrollment.

He promised, in an interview, that the council would supervise the distribution of the items provided to ensure that only those deserving are covered saying the council will not tolerate the diversion of items meant to cushion the effect of the coronavirus.

Alhaji Abdullahi Sulaiman Sabo also denied allegations that Kuje Area Council has concluded plans to ban commercial motorcycles within the areas of its jurisdiction.

He explained that the council only placed temporary suspension of commercial motorcycles operation until after the Covid-19 pandemic to stem the influx of motorcyclists from several northern states where their operation was banned due to coronavirus.

The chairman assured that alternative means of movement will be provided for the residents to ensure that economic activities do not grind to a halt.

Several raw food items were shared to selected households under the National School Home Feeding Programme.

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