The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme of the President Mohammadu Buhari-led administration, aimed at providing balanced diet meals for primary school pupils across the country, has been flagged off in Ogun State.

Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga, who launched the scheme, tagged “Ogun Meals”, at the St. Paul’s Demonstration School, Onikolobo, Abeokuta, said it is also targeted at increasing enrolment and retaining students in schools.

Onanuga, who revealed that the programme is commencing in Ogun and eight other states, said “It has been discovered that there is a major connection between school enrolment, academic performance, school attendance, literacy level and adequate nutrition.”

She added that the programme will ensure a balanced diet meal at least once per day for primary one to three pupils in all the 1,554 schools, starting with 874.

Assuring that the other 680 will soon be added to the list of beneficiaries as the programme, the deputy governor noted that it would enhance improved nutritional health of the kids.

The state, she added, has a robust plan for the sustainability of the program, just as it has put in place a standard for the hygiene, quality and quantity of the food to be served.

Benefits of the programme, according to her, is the reduction of unemployment rate in the state as no fewer than 2968 women have already been employed as food vendors.

Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, who commended the president for the initiative, stated that the farmers and so many other people have been empowered through the programme in order for the entire agricultural value chain to be achieved.

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