From Hir Scholastica Onyeka Makurdi
Benue state government has disclosed that over 400,000 pupils are benefitting from the National Home Grown School Feeding programme, (NHGSFP) in Benue State.
This is just as a total of 6,512 cooks are to participate in the programme in the state.
Benue state Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, disclosed this on Wednesday during the training of the master cooks of the programme at Government Model Secondary, Makurdi.
The Governor who spoke through the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Aondoawase Kunde, said the event was carefully designed by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to improve the capacity of of cooks in the area of food procurement, menu standardization, food preparation, handling, safety and hygiene as well as financial literacy.
“The exercise will ensure the delivery of safe and healthy meals for the over 400,000 pupils benefiting from the programme in Benue state and also ensure a healthy and safe hygienic environment for our children,” he said.
Alia warned that his administration will not condone any act that will scuttle a seamless implementation of the programme in line with with standard best practices, warning that anyone found wanting, will not only be shown the way out but be penalized in accordance with the extant law.
The Governor explained that the government conducted a review and evaluation of the programme and as part of measures to re-organize it, disengaged all cooks who served between 2017 and 2023.
He explained that operational guideline of the programme specifies that nobody is expected to stay in the programme for more than four years, adding that the measure is to give other citizens the opportunity to benefit from the programme, particularly the poor and vulnerable within a specifies duration of time.
“This implies that all our would-be cooks, will be persons who have not benefited from the programme in the past.
“I want to admonish the cooks to see the opportunities offered them by the programme as a medium to contribute to nation building in their local communities.
“As the coordinating ministry for humanitarian intervention in Benue State, we are focused on strengthening the programme structure for maximum impact for the good of the ordinary Benue people.
Benue State Facilitator/Focal Person of National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP in the State Mrs. Joy Ijuwo, said the
project is meant to change the lives of Nigerians living in extreme poverty, upgrade the living standard of children, youths and women.
It also aims to deliver school feeding to young children with a specific focus on increasing school enrollment, reducing the incidence of malnutrition, especially among the poor and those ordinarily unable to eat a meal-a-day, thereby contributing to the realization of the goals of Universal Basic Education by 2030, empowering community women as cooks and by supporting small farmers that help stimulate economic growth.
She said the one day training will focus on NHGSFP guidelines including, Food procurement; Menu standardization, Food preparation, handling, safety and hygiene; Financial Literacy; Help Desk access; Vendor management.