The Federal Government has disclosed that it has spent N49 billion on feeding of pupils in public primary schools in 24 states in the last two years.
Special Adviser to the President on National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) Mrs. Mariam Uwais briefed reporters in Abuja.
According to her, N220 billion has been released within the period for the implementation of the four major components of the programme.
The programmes included N-Power, Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), National Cash Transfer Programme NCTP), Government Enterprises and Empowerment Programme(GEEP).
Mrs. Uwais said the Federal Government budgeted and appropriated N500 billion for the 2016 fiscal year and the same amount in 2017. She added that only about N140 billion was released in 2017 and N80 billion was accessed by the NSIP in 2016.
The NSIP, which was created in 2015, was officially launched in 2016 to deliver social economic support to disadvantaged Nigerians across the country.
Mrs. Uwais explained that about 8.596 million pupils were presently being fed by the Federal Government in 46,247 public primary schools in 24 states of the federation.
According to her, through the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, 90,670 Nigerians have been engaged and empowered as cooks and over 100,000 local farmers have also been linked to the programme to supply locally sourced farm produced.
“We have created a value chain with significant economic benefits to the micro economic development of the states. The value chain offers additional benefits of job creation and increased livelihood outcomes for both cooks and small holder-farmers, hence improving livelihood and the local economies,” she added.
Mrs. Uwais said government was having challenges with the implementation of the school feeding programme in Niger and Benue states.
She said already, some officials in the programme in the two states have been handed over to the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and one of the officials have been recommended for the prosecution.
“The National Social Investment Office is ably empowered to suspend the programme in any state, where the prescribed standard is reported to have fallen below expectation until a redesigned and realignment is achieved,” the presidential aide said.
The objective of National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is to provide one nutritious, balanced meal each school day to 5.5million pupils in classes to One to Three in the public primary schools across the a country.
Government said it has achieved 30 per cent improvement in school enrollment since the beginning of the programme.