The Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has praised the federal government for the National Home Grown School Feeding Program under its National Social Investment Programmes.
According to a statement on Thursday, signed by Nneka Ikem Anibeze, the Special Assistant on Media to the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, speaking during a visit by the Project Task Team of the HGSFP Enumeration, Ugwuanyi, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Festus Uzor, said that the school feeding program is a legacy which the Enugu state government will consolidate on.
He said that the School feeding programme is the state’s pet project, while encouraging the team to be diligent in their assessment.
He said: “We will continue to key into this legacy left by the federal government to support healthy school meals for our school children. Enugu state government will play its part to ensure the sustainability of the program in the state and ensure that no child of school age is left behind.
“Enugu state government appreciates the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for these poverty reduction initiatives and we encourage the Project Task Team to carry out their assignment diligently as this will make a huge impact on the success of the school feeding assessment.”
Earlier, the Project Task Team led by the Zonal Monitor, Mrs. Nkechi Onwukwe, who represented the minister, assured the governor of the Ministry’s commitment to the HGSFP, adding that the enumeration exercise is geared towards data collection of all pupils and schools on the school feeding program in order to make provision for more children.
She reiterated President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to expanding the programme to include 5 million more beneficiaries and stressed that the enumeration exercise was a crucial first step towards achieving the mandate.
“The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme Enumeration is a continuous process, designed to identify gaps in the system so that the policy could be responsive. Results collated will help in the proper planning and documentation of the feeding programmes through the support and involvement of relevant stakeholders,” she said.
The State Director National Orientation Agency Anthony Anene,the Focal Person NSIP Dr. Ogbonna, the NSIP State Programme Manager Mr. Ifeanyi Onah and Ms Adanne Wadibia Anyanwu the Team Lead, PTT were all in attendance during the courtesy visit.
