Professor reacts to FG school feeding scheme during COVID-19 lockdown
- A Nigerian professor is speaking on the federal government's decision to continue the school feeding during COVID-19 lockdown
- Professor Femi Mimiko appealed to Nigerians to give the government the benefit of the doubt
- The minister of humanitarian affairs has said that the school feeding programme would continue despite the closure of schools
The former vice-chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Professor Femi Mimiko, has asked Nigerians to give the federal government the benefit of the doubt in regards to continuing the school feeding scheme during COVID-19 lockdown.
Recall that Sadiya Farouq, the minister of humanitarian affairs, said that the school feeding programme would continue in schools across the country despite the closure to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The minister explained that talks had already begun with state governors to ensure the continuation of the programme as directed by the Nigerian leader.
President Muhammadu Buhari during his nationwide broadcast on Sunday, March 29, had directed the ministry to develop a strategy on how to sustain the school feeding programme during the period of the lockdown.
Source: UGC
Buhari had said: “Furthermore, although schools are closed, I have instructed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to work with State Governments in developing a strategy on how to sustain the school feeding program during this period without compromising our social distancing policies.”
Following Farouq's announcement, Nigerians have kicked against the move describing it as fraudulent, senseless and impracticable. Others questioned how the programme would be implemented with the pupils currently at home and schools locked down.
While reacting to the situation, Mimiko called for understanding and patience.
The former vice-chancellor said: “I don’t think we should be quick to judge. What I heard the president said was that the relevant ministries would work out the modalities.
“I think there’s good intension, which implies they would continue to feed those kids and what the president said was that they should work out the modalities for implementation. I think we should give them the benefit of the doubt.”
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Legit.ng previously reported that President Buhari has charged the Ministry of Finance Budget and National Planning to ensure that Nigerian civil servants get their salaries paid promptly.
The president gave the directive on Thursday, April 2, during a meeting with members of the presidential committee on the review of the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the economy, held at the State House, Abuja.
In another report, the presiding bishop of the Living Faith Church International, popularly known as Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, said coronavirus would soon become a thing of the past in Nigeria.
Oyedepo stated this while donating an ambulance and Personal Protective Gears (PPE) to the Ogun state government to help in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
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Source: Legit.ng
