‘FG spends N320m monthly on school feeding in Gombe’

The federal Government says it is spending over N320million monthly to feed 228,646 school children in Gombe State under the National…

The federal Government says it is spending over N320million monthly to feed 228,646 school children in Gombe State under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).

This was disclosed Sunday by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Umar Farouk, during the handover of 228,646 feeding utensils donated to the Gombe State Government.

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Represented by Dr Umar Bindi, the minister said the utensils were targeted at primary school pupils to ensure best hygiene and safety consumption of the free meals they are being provided with at their respective schools. 

Farouk added that a total of 1,234 schools were enrolled in the state since inception of the programme in 2016. She revealed that over 228,646 children are being fed, using 3,073 cooks and vendors, across 11 local government areas of the state. 

The minister explained that the school feeding is a social protection and poverty alleviation strategy which sought to raise school enrollment, enhance school children nutrition and boost local economic activities.

According to her, on the school feeding alone, the federal government has invested over N4.5bn in Gombe State, adding that the figure will be increase soon.

She urged the state government to ensure that the food was properly cooked and adequately, and timely served to the pupils during school-hours at their respective schools.

Receiving the items, Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, lauded the federal government for initiating the programme and its special interest in the state.

He assured that the state government would ensure that the school feeding programme and other component of the social investment programmes were properly implemented.