FG Presents 397,000 Feeding Utensils To Abia Public Schools

The Federal Government yesterday presented 397,000 packs of feeding utensils to Abia public schools that are benefitting from the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
In a speech at the event in Umuahia, Mrs Sadiya Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said the intervention was to strengthen the implementation of the programme in the state.
Farouq, represented by a Deputy Director, Mr Charles Anaelo, said the ministry had commenced the deployment of interventions to address identified gaps within the programmeq.
She described the intervention as one of the ministry’s strategies to ensure that the pupils would enjoy their free meals in hygienic and safe conditions.
Farouq said that the programme was one of the key interventions of the Federal Government under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
He said that NSIP was to boost school enrollment, prevent malnutrition, improve economic activities across communities.
She added that the ministry was working in collaboration with state governments to ensure the smooth running of the programme across the country.
The minister said that the benefits of the programme on lives, livelihoods, groups and communities remained undeniable.
According to him, nine million pupils had been fed by 100,000 cooks under the programme.
She , “The ministry would commence a nationwide exercise to verify, upgrade and update the programmes existing data for the addition of five million beneficiaries as directed by President Muhammdu Buhari.”
She said that plans were underway to ensure that the programme realised its objectives for women empowerment, girl-child education, job creation and improved inter-governmental collaboration.
“I wish to assure you that the ministry will continue to improve quality service delivery on all its social intervention and leadership role in the programme,” Farouq said.
In a remark, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, described the programme as a veritable instrument to facilitate educational development.
He expressed delight that there had been an increase in public school enrollment in the state since the inception of the programme.
Ikpeazu, represented by the State Focal Person of the programme, Mr Chinenye Nwogu, said that Abia State Government would continue to deepen and expand the programme to ensure that its purpose was achieved.
Earlier, Mr Emeka Ahuruonye, the Programme Manager of NHGSFP, described the programme as a laudable initiative.