Laleye Dipo in Minna
An official of the federal government’s School Feeding Programme in Niger State has been caught stealing 200 crates of eggs meant for pupils in schools in Bosso Local Government area of the state.
The federal government had about three months ago sacked two top officials of the programme for similar sabotage and directed that the scheme should be transfered to the Ministry of Women Affairs.
The programme was only reorganised and restarted two weeks ago following the initial sabotage.
Another desk officer also in the same local government was caught diverting several tubers of yam meant for the feeding of the pupils.
The police and officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) had been called into the matter resulting in the arrest of the suspects.
The security officials were also made to lecture all the ad hoc staff involved in the school feeding programme on the implication of their tampering with the items meant for feeding of the pupils.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Coordinator of the programme, Mrs Amina Musa, confirmed the development while addressing journalists after a meeting of the state executive council held in Minna Wednesday evening.
Mrs Musa, who declined to give the names of those concerned, however confirmed that the persons concerned had been reported to the DSS for further action.
The commissioner disclosed that over 560,499 pupils are benefiting from the programme in the state, while 4,929 food vendors are engaged, adding that N392 million was allocated to the state by the presidency for the first 10 days of the exercise.
She said that the free feeding programme had led to increase in school enrolment of pupils in the state but did not say the new enrolment figure.
According to her, the programme had boosted the economic empowerment of farmers and women in the state due to the patronage of agricultural products.
