From Okwe Obi, Abuja

The Federal Government has inaugurated the multi-sectoral committee on the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme NHGSFS), in Abuja.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farooq, while inaugurating the team yesterday, urged them to take the assignment seriously in order to eradicate poverty and create wealth through the various National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs).

Represented by the Committee’s Chairman who doubles as the Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programmes, Dr Umar Bindir, she enjoined them to collaborate with each other in their areas of expertise.

In a statement by her Special Adviser on Media, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, she said: “This ministry is dedicated to job creation and poverty eradication.

“The success of this committee will be its ability to alleviate poverty through the school feeding of junior primary school pupils.

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“The enrollment of school children is increased as a result of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, therefore, I urge you to work together with other stakeholders to participate in this program.”

Earlier, NHGSFP Team Leader, Aisha Digil, explained that the programme is designed as a collaborative effort between the three tiers of government to boost nutritional status, encourage enrollment and school attendance as well as promote local economic activities.

“From the set objectives, the programme cuts across health, education, agriculture, economy and employment.

“Therefore, it is important that we utilize a multi sectoral approach in planning and implementation. This means working with colleagues from the relevant ministries to jointly achieve the core objectives of the program.”

The terms of reference to the committee include identifying and facilitating the implementation of relevant activities within their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as synchronized with the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, make recommendations and input to promote activities of the NHGSFP and maintain relations between State Multi-Sectoral Working Group and State counterparts on NHGSF.

Members are drawn from the Federal Ministries of Education, Finance, Water Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, Health Industry, Trade and Investment, Women Affairs, National Bureau of Statistics and the Universal Basic Education Commission.