The Federal Government says it has disbursed over N6bn since the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme started in 2016.
This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Laolu Akande.
“A total of N6,643,432,789 billion have been disbursed by the Federal Government since the school feeding programme kicked off late last year,” the statement said.
The government said at least 19,000 schools have been covered so far, adding that more schools would benefit from the programme with the commencement of a new academic session in September.
They said more states would be added to the list, in line with government’s target that 5.5 million schoolchildren would be fed by the end of 2017.
According to the statement, a total of 2,918,842 schoolchildren from 19,881 schools in the 14 pilot states of the federation have benefitted from the school feeding programme, which is part of President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s N500 billion Social Investment Programmes (SIPs).
“With 3,325 schools, Kaduna State has the highest number of schools so far covered under the programme, as well as the highest number of schoolchildren (835,508) who have been fed.
“It is closely followed by Benue State where 2,220 schools have been covered and 240,827 schoolchildren have been fed. Zamfara State also recorded a high number, with 1,952 schools covered and 198,788 pupils fed under the programme,” the statement added.
The Federal Government said Bauchi State also recorded impressive figures with 1,904 schools already covered, while 307,013 schoolchildren in the state have so far benefitted from the programme.
A total of 1,850 schools have been covered and 151,438 pupils have been fed in Osun State; 1,479 schools have been covered and 171,835 pupils fed so far in Taraba State; while a total of 1,403 schools have been covered in Oyo State, where 107,983 pupils have been fed.
In Anambra State, 807 schools have been covered and 103,742 schoolchildren have been fed so far and 108,898 pupils in 622 schools have been fed in Enugu State.
The school feeding programme has so far covered 1,050 schools and 163,137 schoolchildren have been fed In Ebonyi State, just as 903 schools have so far been covered with 231,660 pupils fed In Ogun State.
“Also, a total of 95,134 schoolchildren in 882 schools have been fed in Plateau State. Delta and Abia states recorded 742 schools each, with 141,663 and 61,316 schoolchildren fed respectively,” the statement said.
