Nigerian govt says it spends N12bn on school feeding programme monthly

The Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), Dr Umar Bindir, said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration spends a minimum of N12 billion monthly on the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programmes (NHGSFP).

Bindir disclosed this at a two-day stakeholder’s consultative workshop on the development of a national policy for NHGSFP, organised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in Abuja.

While speaking at the event, Bindir said the school feeding programme, though very expensive and taking a toll on government coffers, has captured over 10 million school children who are fed at the rate of N100 meal per child as approved by President Buhari.

“Today we are focusing on the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme with the support of the World Food Programme (WFP) to develop an inclusive policy for NHGSFP.

“This is to ensure that it is sustainable, measurable and highly impactful as directed by Mr President.

“As we speak, we are feeding an average of 10 million children with the potential of that number increasing to 12 million probably in the next few weeks or months.

Read also: 9m pupils have benefited from school feeding programme in Nigeria – Minister

“Based on the impact of the programme – attracting children to school, ensuring the children are healthy, the children of the poor and vulnerable attending school longer it is necessary that the programme is sustained,” he said.

He added that the programme was a continuation of deliberate strategies of the NSIP to institutionalise the clusters and the essence was to ensure that the children have a nutritious meal.

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