BY ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
Every month, Bauchi State government spends about N624,230,600 for the feeding of school children in the state under the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP).
The Focal Person and Special Adviser to the Bauchi State Governor on Social Investment Programme, Hajiya Amina Katagum, disclosed this in a presentation at a Town Hall meeting by the Senate Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Investment Programme at the Multi-Purpose Indoor Sports Hall Complex on Tuesday.
She said that about 445,789 school children have so far benefitted from the scheme as of March 31st, 2020.
Katagum said that 7,584 women and 3,000 small farmers have also being empowered from the programme.
According to her, school enrolment has increased as a result of the programme adding that the state is awaiting additional number of schools recently captured by the NBS to be included in the school feeding programme.
The Special Adviser however, said that the Home Grown School Feeding Programme suffered a setback in the year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which exacerbated the socio-economic challenges of the state as a result of the lockdown and closure of businesses.
He said that the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSF) aims to deliver school feeding to young children with a specific focus on increasing school enrolment, reducing the incidence of malnutrition (especially among the poor and those ordinarily unable to eat a meal-a-day and empowering community women as cooks and by supporting small farmers that help stimulate economic growth.
“In Bauchi state, 445,789 school children; 7,584 women and 3,000 small farmers had benefited from the programme as at 31st March 2020.
”School enrollment had increased as a result of the programme. About N624,230,600 comes into the state monthly for feeding of the school children during sessions.
“The state is awaiting additional number of schools recently captured by the NBS to be included in the school feeding Programme, and to this end, more women will be recruited as food vendors with benefits,” she stated.
On the N-Power Programme, she said that 15,496 had benefited from the programme as at July 31 2020 saying about N500 million is injected into the state as stipends to the volunteers on monthly basis.
“Unfortunately,” the Focal Person lamented, “the COVID-19 pandemic had exacerbated the socioeconomic challenges of the state as a result of the lockdown and closure of businesses. This had reversed some of the gains made by the implementation of the programme.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Investment Programme, Sen. Lawal Gumau in his remarks advised the youths to cultivate the habit of saving to enable them invest during the Social Investment Programme.
Gumau who represents Bauchi South Senatorial District assured that some of the challenges highlighted by the focal person of SIP will be fully addressed saying the House of Senate will establish a law that will ensure the continuity of the welfare programmes established by the FG irrespective of the administration in power.
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
Leave a Reply