The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has concluded plans with state governments to continue the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme using a door-to-door voucher distribution system.
The minister of the ministry, Sadiya Umar Farouq, announced that the programme will give priority to Lagos, Ogun and FCT but will extend to all states currently participating in the program for a period of 30 days.
President Muhammadu Buhari had said his government will continue the school feeding programme despite the closure of school and declaration of complete lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states.
“Vouchers will allocate collection time to avoid overcrowding. The vouchers will be redeemed at designated distribution sites,” Farouq said in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.
“Existing aggregators will provide the food items. Distribution sites will be situated within the communities and in some States within the schools by hand washing ports. Safety and hygiene precautions will be observed,” She further added.
The Minister explained that the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program supervised by the ministry had so far distributed N20,000 each to 110,202 existing beneficiaries on the National Social Register in seven States across the Nation.
Farouq said payments will commence in 17 additional States on Monday.
“It is important to highlight that since the creation of the Ministry, we have piloted digital payment in 6 States and part of the overhaul of the CCT program is transitioning to digital payments across all participating States. This is a priority and we are actively working to transition the mode of payment all across the states,” She said.
The minister said the National Emergency Management Agency is ready to deploy 77,000 metric tons of food items to households of satellite towns in front line States; Lagos, FCT, and Ogun with particular emphasis on vulnerable households as directed by Mr. President.
She added that the North East Development Commission had provided 11,000 Personal Protective Equipment, 12 ventilators, 6,000 surgical masks, 3,000 ordinary masks, 192 infra-red thermometer, 2,400 hand gloves and 2,500 hand sanitizers to 6 states in the North East geopolitical zone.
