75,000 Ekiti pupils benefit from FG’s school feeding – Osinbajo

From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo  yesterday disclosed that a total of 75,000 pupils of Ekiti state are benefiting from the home grown school feeding programme of the Federal Government.

Osinbajo said the programme initiated by the President Mohammadu Buhari’s-led administration, was aimed towards shoring up school enrollments in the country and a tremendous help in job creation and poverty reduction among Nigerians.

The number two man spoke in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday during the official launching of the school Feeding Programme, held at St. Michael’s Primary school, explained that the policy is a flagship of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  led government, remained one of the   four cardinal objectives of the empowerment and social investment policy of  President  Buhari-led   administration.

Osinbajo, who commended   Governor Kayode Fayemi for keying into the programme, said : “The aim of this  government  is to provide food to our students to make them focused in schools and solve the problem of  malnutrition in our children.

Reeling out the benefits of the programme, Osinbajo said: “9.3 million pupils are benefiting in over 56,506 Primary schools across this country. 190,000 farmers are supplying material, 767 cows are killed weekly and 7.3 million eggs are consumed weekly via this policy.

Osinbajo stated that the policy has also helped in improving the capacities of some people, especially the vendors to be able to feed their families.

Earlier, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, described the policy as very significant in the lives of the people, commended the FG for the initiative.

He said the programme was an initiative of President Buhari, but was being anchored through the office of the Vice President.

Fayemi stressed that the state places high premium on the policy, because it pays attention to our vulnerable population.

Fayemi disclosed that 2000 vendors had already employed to supply food in the 905 primary schools in while 75,000 pupils in primary one to three are to benefit.