The Emir of Borgu Kingdom, Dr Mohammed Sani Dantoro, and the Ejeh Ankpa IV, Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed Yakubu, have commended the Federal Government for its continued interest in the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
It is aimed at improving the health and educational outcome of public primary school pupils. It uses farm produce locally grown by smallholder farmers to provide children with nutritious mid-day meals on every school day. The programme links local farmers to the education sector by facilitating their access to the school feeding market.
The frontline monarchs, who spoke separately, when they received the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding, Dr. Yetunde Adeniji, in their palaces, said the programme would significantly spike pupils’ enrollment in schools.
The Emir of Borgu expressed his commitment to providing continuous support for the programme.
He, however, raised concerns regarding the challenges facing the school feeding programme, emphasising that effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation were crucial for its sustainability.
The Emir highlighted the importance of meeting the expectations of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu in the overall implementation of the programme.
To further underscore the Tinubu administration’s commitment to inclusivity and reaching out to diverse communities to ensure that all children, regardless of their backgrounds or disabilities, have access to nutritious meals and quality education, Dr. Adeniji, also visited the Ejeh Ankpa IV.
Alhaji Yakubu expressed joy in President Tinubu’s commitment to end hunger and ensure that vulnerable children were catered for under the program, and promised his unflinching support in achieving success.
Speaking earlier, the SSA said the essence of the visit was to seek the monarchs’ support in deepening the government’s school feeding programme.
She said both royal fathers’ emphasis on implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, reflected the importance of ensuring that the programme operates smoothly and achieves its intended objectives.
By soliciting support from influential figures like the Emir of Borgu Kingdom and the Eje of Ankpa IV, the president’s aide and her team are taking steps to strengthen the programme and address any challenge it may face.