Lagos Pledges To Reach 37, 589 Households With Pupils’ Food Rations In Four Weeks
Lagos State Government has said the 37, 589 households that would benefit from the Lagos Home Grown School Feeding Programme would be reached in the next four weeks.
The Executive Chairman of Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Hon. Wahab Alawiye-King, disclosed this at the flag-off ceremony of the distribution of take-home rations in fulfilment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that school feeding should continue despite school closure.
According to him, the distribution would continue tomorrow at seven local governments which has 52 of the 202 distribution centres.
Alawiye-king stated that the distribution of the ration is to ensure that the hardship caused by COVID-19 lockdown is ameliorated.
“This programme is fully funded, designed and packaged by the Federal Government with the support of Lagos State government. A lot of work has gone into preparing for the kick-off to ensure that this is done in a transparent and seamless manner.”
He thanked the FG for the laudable initiative and the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting the cause and ensuring that the project is brought to fruition.
Alawiye-King, however, asked for the continuous cooperation and understanding of all stakeholders to ensure that the food items get to the intended beneficiaries.
Some of the beneficiaries got their package yesterday, especially households of pupils attending St Francis Primary School, Maryland. One of the benefiting pupils was Glory Joseph, who was represented by her father, Joseph Nnamani. Nnamani thanked the government for providing the ration as it would be good support for the family at this time. He said his family is happy about the programme.
The Country Director, World Food Programme, Dr Paul Howe said WFP Nigeria is providing technical support to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, leading Nigeria’s response to address the crisis of hunger caused by COVID-19.
Howe, represent by Programme Officer, Akeem Ajibola said: “The loss of school meals, due to school closures, could have devastating nutrition and health consequences for vulnerable children.
WFP is happy to support the Hon. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and her team in the work they are doing to deliver take-home food rations to schoolchildren nationwide until schools reopen.
” Before COVID 19, food insecurity was already rising globally and was a matter of serious concern in many countries, including Nigeria. The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to double the number of food-insecure people in the world – unless we all put heads together to extend food assistance to the most vulnerable people in our communities, towns and villages,” Howe stated.
