MPs investigate suspended school feeding program

The House of Representatives has decided to investigate the suspended school feeding program.

The Green Chamber passed the resolution during plenary sitting on Thursday following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Muktar Zakari of Kaduna State.

On January 12, President Bola Tinubu suspended all programs, including school feeding, run by the National Agency for Social Investment Programmes (NSIPA), as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in the administration of the Agency and its activities.

Previously, on January 2, Tinubu exposed Halima Shehu as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NSIPA due to alleged financial misconduct.

The President also suspended Betta Edu as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on January 8. Edus Ministry oversees the activities of NSIPA.

The programmes affected include N-Power, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), the Government Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Programme and the Homegrown School Feeding Initiative.

On March 13 House of Representatives called on the Federal Government resume the implementation of the suspended social investment initiatives.

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In introducing the motion, Zakari said the aim of the school feeding programme is to encourage enrolment in public primary schools, combat child hunger, improve students’ ability to concentrate and learn, and improve school education. Participation.

He said the suspension of the school feeding programme was “worrying for several reasons, namely the reduced enrolment and attendance, the impact on children’s health and cognitive development and the loss of income for small farmers”.

Lawmakers said that while it was critical to address the program’s challenges, a complete suspension “could result in more damage”.

“The discontinuation of the program will lead to a huge increase in the number of children out of school. This poses a threat to the future of the country and leads to high crime rates, insecurity and unemployment,” he said.

The motion was adopted by MPs when it was presented for a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives.