By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
To ensure the successful implementation of the Federal Government’s National Home Grown School Feeding Programme project, United Nations World Food Programme, WFP, has supported the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipments.
The items were handed over by the Country Director of WFP, Ronald Sibanda to the minister Sadiya Farouq in Abuja.
While the official handing over of the items to the ministry, Sibanda said, “On behalf of WFP, I am delighted to be here today to handover this ICT equipment and the publication of the Joint Assessment of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Porgramme that we conducted together.”
Sibanda said “”.The items which include; 150 Nos. of Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4, 8Nos. of Lenovo Thinkpad T480 14 inches, 2 Nos. of Lenovo Monitors 24 inches, 3Nos. HP LaserJet Pro Multifunction M428fdw Wireless Laser Printer, and 3Nos. of Samsung 55 inches LED Smart TV were delivered to the Ministry to help improve, scale up and sustain the School Feeding Programme in Nigeria.
While commending the programme as the largest School Feeding Programme in Africa, Sibanda noted that since the launch in 2015, it has made commendable achievements by providing nutritious meals to 9.8 million pupils in 56,000 public primary schools, engaging and empowering local smallholder farmers and 107,000 cooks nationwide.
He urged Nigeria to share its experience on the School Feeding Programme with other African Countries, and emphazied WFP readiness to continue to provide technical support and policy advice to the Ministry to achieve the aims and objectives of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.
While receiving the items, Farouq who was represented by the National Coordinator, National Social Investment Programme ,NSIP, Engr. Umar Bindir Ph.D appreciated the contributions of the United Nations World Food Programme noting that it is as index of good partnership and cooperation.
He further stated that partnering with the International Organization as a global brand is an indication that the Ministry is implementing the programme the right way in accordance with the directives of President Buhari’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
He said that the success of the programme has triggered the World Food Programme to partner with the ministry.
