Gombe Launches School Feeding Programme for 286,000 Pupils

Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

The Federal Government National Home Grown School Feeding Programme has been launched in Gombe State for 286,000 primary school pupils across the state.

The Focal Person, Gombe State Social Investment Project, Hajiya Maryam Isah Mele stated on Monday during the official launch of the programme that it is part of the N500 billion funded social investment programme announced by the federal government to tackle poverty and improve the health and education of children in the country.

In Gombe State, she said vendors have been sufficiently trained on health, sanitation and hygiene programme before the implementation of the programme.

“A total of N197 million was paid to 2,809 duly verified vendors to provide services for 286,000 pupils at N70 each.

“The vendors are to cook meals using a timetable agreed by stakeholders in the programme while ensuring that the budget is pocket friendly. An aggregating system will ensure provision of food products at discounted prices to ensure equality, standard and compliance with unnecessary price increase in the market,” she said.

In her remarks, the wife of the Governor, Hajiya Adama Dankwambo commended the federal government for initiating the programme, saying, “it is a known fact that education is the bedrock of any development and to be able to attain the standard of education required, we must be able to surmount all obstacles militating against education.

“I believe this historic event is one of such areas where milestone efforts and results will be achieved in our quest for educational development.”