The Federal Government will kick off its National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP, in September with 5.5 million pupils, the National Programme Manager, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi revealed.
According to the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, NHGSFP is an initiative capable of stimulating the economy and combating unemployment.
The governor and Mrs Adesanmi spoke on Wednesday, July 27 at a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on the Ogun State Home Grown School Feeding Programme in Abeokuta.
Amosun said:”This programme is like using one stone to kill several birds. Feeding primary school pupils in the country has the potential to turn around the economy.”
“It’s a well-thought out programme because the unemployed would be engaged. All value chains in the agricultural sector would be involved; poultry producers will sell; the meat sellers will sell their produce and the agriculture sector will generally get a boost. Agricultural produce that often gets spoilt would now be mopped up and more money will come into the purse of the average farmer.
“The transport sector would equally be involved. They would convey the food to the schools. Youths would equally get employed. And I think this is a notice to youths, it’s time to work. You should not be going around asking for jobs again. You should key into this programme.
“This programme will also make our children stronger. When you feed pupils from primary school, you are trying to ensure a generation of healthy youths,”he added.
Amosun said the programme would commence in the state in September, stressing that pupils in Primary 1 to 3 would kick-start the programme, while those in Primary 4 to 6 will be considered later.
Amosun added that unlike other previous national programmes, the NHGSFP would be a practical one involving the three tiers of government.
The State Focal Person for the programme and Ogun State Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Adeleke Adewolu, said about 200, 000 pupils from 1,554 public primary schools would benefit from the programme in Ogun State.
