Covid-19: FG to commence school feeding program in four states

The Federal Government has disclosed that the school feeding programme for pupils in primary schools will commence next week in four states.

Mouthpiece NGR learnt the program is part of measures to cushion the effect of COVID-19 and lockdown on vulnerable households.

President Muhammadu Buhari had, during his first broadcast in March, directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to work with relevant state governments in developing a strategy on how to sustain the school feeding programme despite closure of schools.

In carrying out the directive, the ministry said it would liaise with state governors to work out modalities on how the feeding programme would continue while pupils are at home.

The minister in previous fora had also hinted that a door-to-door voucher distribution system would be used for the feeding exercise.

Giving an update on the programme, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, said the exercise would commence in Lagos, Ogun, Kano states, and the FCT next week.

Speaking at the Karimajiji Disabled Colony in the FCT yesterday during the distribution of palliatives to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), the minister said: “By next week, we are going to start off the school feeding programme with FCT, Lagos, Ogun, and Kano states.