The Federal Government and states are ready to start feeding schoolchildren in their homes, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq assured on Wednesday, May 6th, 2020.

The Federal Government had in April finalised arrangements with state governments to commence feeding schoolchildren in their respective homes.

Speaking on Wednesday at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja, Umar-Farouq said the government had overhauled the school feeding programme in a way to ensure that schoolchildren were fed at home despite the lockdown.

She said,

We have made progress in the overhauling of the homegrown school feeding programme and sensitisation has already begun in the three frontline states of Ogun, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory for implementation.

The overhauling was sequel to a March 29, 2020 directive by Mr President to identify modalities and continuation of the school feeding programme during the COVID-19 pandemic in the lockdown states as of then.

She noted that following the directives, her ministry in the collaboration with state governors worked out modalities for the implementation home feeding programme, adding that the initiative was set to commence.

The plan has been adopted, with implementation now set to begin. The programme will therefore be carried out based on data provided and structures put in place by participating states with support from partners that include the World Food Programme.

The minister had explained that the food would be distributed door-to-door, as vouchers would be allocated at specific collection times to avoid overcrowding.

She explained that the vouchers would be redeemed at designated distribution sites.

This came as the Federal Government on Wednesday handed food items to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for vulnerable women across the country.

Umar-Farouq presented over the items to the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen, in Abuja.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.