NASG sinks N20m into school feeding programme

The Nasarawa State Government says it has purchased food items worth N20 million to feed students in its 29 boarding secondary schools, this month.

The Commissioner for Education, Aliyu Tijjani, who made the disclosure on Wednesday in Lafia, during a meeting with the state chapter of the Parents Teachers Association, said that principals and PTA officials had been co-opted into the procurement team.

“We involved the PTA officials to ensure transparency and accountability; we particularly wanted to be sure that quality is not compromised,” he said.

The commissioner expressed optimism that parents’ presence on the procurement team would guarantee quality as their children were the end users.

He tasked the PTA to supervise the principals to guard against diversion of food items.

In his remarks, Alhaji Umaru Ebenya, the State PTA chairman, lauded government’s efforts, saying that the association would monitor the distribution of the items to the schools, and their judicious use.

The chairman, however, appealed to the state government to address the issue of percentage payment of teachers’ salaries and the provision of instructional materials, to promote optimal performance.