Stakeholders in the implementation of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme in Delta, have called for an upward review of the N70 per meal earmarked for each pupil, to reflect economic realities.
They stated this on Friday in Asaba, during the handover of feeding utensils to beneficiaries by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
The State Coordinator of the project, Mr Christopher Ekamagwule, also appealed for the inclusion of senior primary school pupils from primary four to six in the feeding arrangement.
A caterer, Mrs Florence Abanu and the State Secretary of NGO partners, Mr. Moro Okpor, gave their reasons for the need for an upward review of the cost.
They said,” We want the Federal Government to help us because the price of everything has gone up in the market”.
“The N70 they are paying is too small. It can’t even buy one egg again.”
The Headmistress of Uzoigwe Primary School, Mrs Violet Chukwurah, noted that the scheme had led to an increase in the attendance and enrollment of pupils in the school.
Chukwurah pleaded for the inclusion of primaries five and six pupils in the feeding scheme.
A pupil of the school, Peace Ezekiel, who spoke on behalf of the school, said the programme had improved their learning experience.
” This programme has really helped us to be strong in carrying out our learning activities.
”We thank the federal and the state for the feeding programme,” she said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, said President Muhammadu Buhari had directed for additional five million beneficiaries and an operational review of the scheme.
Farouq, who was represented by a Deputy Director of Finance in the Ministry, Mr Emma Deekor, said the president had already given the go-ahead for the increase in the number of beneficiaries to five million, from the present four million.
The Permanent Secretary, Delta State Directorate of Humanitarian Services, Dr Chuks Nwani, stressed the role of state governments in the implementation of the scheme.
“The state government is responsible for putting structure at the state and local governments to ensure the successful implementation of the Programme.”
Highlight of the event was the symbolic handover of the utensils to representatives of the state government.