President Muhammadu says his government has engaged over 103,000 cooks to provide meals for about 10 million public primary schools pupils across 35 States of the federation including the FCT.

Recall that federal government flagged off the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) in 2016.

Buhari disclosed this in his 61st nationwide Independence Day broadcast on Friday morning.

“The national homegrown school feeding programme is currently being implemented in 35 states of the federation and the FCT.

“Over 103,000 women have been engaged and empowered as cooks under the programme, while about 10 million pupils are being fed across public primary schools in the Country”, he said.

The president stated that he has also directed an increase in the disbursement of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) loans to an additional one million beneficiaries to an additional one million beneficiaries, laying more emphasis on the smallholding farmers through the farmers Moni programme.

He also said the initiative is in addition to other steps taken by his administration to take 10 million Nigerians out of poverty.

The president admitted that there is economic hardship, but blamed activities of middlemen for the high cost of food in the Country.

“To grant increased access to credit to the most poor and vulnerable, I have directed an increase in the disbursement of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) loans to an additional one million beneficiaries, laying more emphasis on the smallholding farmers through the farmers Moni programme”, he said.

 26 total views