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School Feeding: Nigerian govt begins verification of 196,873 pupils in Nasarawa
The Federal Government has begun verification exercise for 196, 873 pupils in public schools in Nasarawa state under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, disclosed this during a courtesy call paid on Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state in Lafia on Friday.
The NHGSFP was designed as a multi-faceted intervention by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to drive school enrollment and retention, boost the nutrition of the pupils, support local production of food and encourage income generation.
Specifically, it is aimed at the provision of one nutritious meal to all pupils in public primary schools in classes one to three.
The minister who was represented by her Technical Adviser, Abdullahi Usman, stated the exercise is aimed at having more data of the pupils benefiting from the programme and doing a physical verification of the pupils across Nasarawa state.
“We are here on a verification exercise. We have been feeding pupils since 2016 but the data we have been dealing with is actually names of pupils sent by all the states.
“So this exercise will allow us go into the school, put faces and identities to these children by taking their details, their pictures and biometrics.
”The idea of the exercise is to prove that those we are feeding are actually human beings,” she said.
She added that the NHGSFP as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, is to scale up the number of pupils benefiting from the programme so as to bring more pupils under the umbrella of the government’s social protection mechanism.
“Over nine million pupils benefit from one free nutritious meal a day during school term nationwide, and now we have the mandate to reach an additional five million pupils by 2023.
“Talking specifically about Nasarawa sir, as we speak today, we have 196,873 pupils that are being fed in a total of 1,203 schools,” she said.
She admitted that with over 100, 000 cooks employed and more than 100, 000 small holder farmers participating in the value chain, the NHGSFP had become a serious potential for sicio-economic development and needs to be strengthened, scaled up and sustained nationwide.
“In Nasarawa in particular, we have 2,801 cooks. I am therefore, pleased that the Nasarawa state and the federal NHGSFP teams as well as key stakeholders are working jointly and closely to verify the existing numbers of beneficiaries on the program and update the records for better effectiveness, transparency and accountability,” she added.
In his remarks, governor Sule expressed gratitude to President Buhari for introducing the NHGSFP intervention aimed at assisting the poor through the provision of one nutritious meal to pupils in public primary schools across the country.
“And I know that Mr President will be the happiest if the target people who are expected to benefit from it are benefiting from it without anyone hijacking it along the way.
“As long as it goes all the way to the targeted people who are really in need of this assistance, I think all of us will be happier,” he said.
He then assured of his administration’s support and commitment to ensure the intervention succeeds in the state.
NAN
Mr Joshua Ibitomi, the Area Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),
Ibeju-Lekki, Epe Division, Lagos State, has warned truck drivers against speeding and reckless driving.
He gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibeju-Lekki on Tuesday.
The FRSC official, who blamed speeding on the ghastly vehicle accident that occurred at Aiyetoro market in Epe
which claimed several lives and left some injured, said that with careful driving, such accident could be avoided.
He added that “the accident was as a result of speeding, reckless driving and loading of truck beyond its capacity.
“All these are factors responsible for accident when drivers are not conscious of the driving rules.
“Vehicle can develop technical fault at any time, therefore, speed limit and caution need to be applied while driving.”
He said FRSC had been sensitising drivers on the need to install speed limit device and be road conscious while driving, in line with the mandate to instill decent use of road.
Ibitomi also advised passers-by and the public to be safety conscious while walking on roadsides to avoid falling victim of accidents.
He attributed major road crashes on roads to speed limit violation, urging drivers to respect the sanctity of human life by obeying traffic rules.
He added that the FRSC had evolved measures to ensure accident-free yuletide and new year festivities in 2024
Jubilant supporters celebrated Donald Trump’s apparent victory in Florida early Wednesday as he claimed a return to the White House, despite most major news networks holding off on officially calling the race.
At an event in Palm Beach, Trump supporters reveled in the win projected by Fox News, cheering as the former president declared a “political victory that our country has never seen before.”
“I feel extraordinary,” said 68-year-old supporter Ted Sarvanis, dancing with arms in the air. “This is the greatest American political story in the history of the country.”
Joined by running mate J.D. Vance, Trump took the stage, celebrating his projected win. The atmosphere at the convention center was electric, with supporters sporting “Make America Great Again” caps and mingling in formal attire and Trump-themed clothing.
“I feel relieved. I was a little bit scared because you never know how things are going to turn out,” said Stacy Kurtz, 45.
In contrast, a far different scene unfolded for Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters at Howard University in Washington, where they were hoping for a Democratic win.
As the night wore on and Trump gained electoral votes in key battleground states, disappointment swept through the crowd.
“I am scared, I am anxious now,” said Charlyn Anderson earlier in the evening.
Democratic watch parties in places like Atlanta and Pennsylvania grew somber as results rolled in, with Lynn Johnson, 65, expressing concern, “It’s going to be dangerous if he wins. I don’t feel safe.”
While Trump’s supporters celebrated a comeback, the mood among Democrats was marked by worry and disbelief.
“He’s a terrible candidate, so it just doesn’t make sense,” said Harris supporter Ken Brown.
The contrasting scenes highlighted the nation’s deep political divide on election night.
President Bola Tinubu has extended warm congratulations to President Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States, expressing optimism for stronger ties between Nigeria and the U.S. in an era of global challenges.
The congratulatory message, issued by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasises the Nigerian leader’s hopes for a renewed partnership between the two nations.
Following his victory on Wednesday, Trump pledged to “heal” the country, marking a stunning political comeback as he edged past Kamala Harris in a closely contested election.
Tinubu, in his message, affirmed, “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”
Tinubu highlighted that Trump’s return to the White House reflects the trust and confidence of the American people in his leadership, praising their commitment to democracy.
Given Trump’s experience from 2017 to 2021 as the 45th President, Tinubu foresees a new era of “earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.”
The Nigerian President also expressed confidence that Trump’s leadership will contribute to peace and prosperity worldwide, acknowledging America’s significant influence on global affairs.
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