Free School Feeding: Ikpeazu empowers 270 Food Vendors
Posted by Admin | 6 years ago | 1,884 times
About 270 food vendors have been employed under the free school feeding programme introduced by the state government in collaboration with the federal government.
Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu made the revelation recently in Umuahia during the launch of Abia Telehealth Initiative – “Dial-a-Doc Direct.
Factnews recalls that the federal government introduced the Home Grown School Feeding Programme in 2016 to collaborate with interested and prepared states in order to provide free school for pupils in primary schools.
The meals are to be prepared with food procured from local smallholder farmers to strengthen communities across the country.
It is also expected to feed pupils from Primary 1 to 3.
The essence of the programme is to increase school enrolment and completion, improve child nutrition and health, and strengthen local agricultural economies by providing a school feeding market in which farmers can sell their produce.
Abia alongside14 states across the country have been covered under the School Feeding programme.
Others are Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba and KaduAna.
On February 27th, 2018, the Abia State Government flagged off the second phase of the programme to cover pupils from Primary 4 to 6.
This, Governor Ikpeazu said was aimed at ensuring that every child is well fed for proper articulation and all-round training in government-owned schools.
The Governor Okezie Ikpeazu further revealed that the extension has led to the empowerment of over 270 food vendors across the state, hence, curbing the state of unemployment.
The programme he explained has increased primary school enrolment from 40,015 in 2015 to 300,40 in 2018.
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo also commended Abia State government for partnering with the federal government to ensure the success of the programme.
He said Abia is the only state in Nigeria that has not only performed well with the programme but has extended it to all pupils in government-owned primary schools.
In his remarks, the Vice President described it as a welcome development while commending Abia state for its active collaboration with the federal government.
The Home Grown School Feeding Programme is also geared towards the creation of employment opportunities with jobs in catering, processing, farming, among others.
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