Buhari to start feeding primary school pupils daily

Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo yesterday, said President Muhammadu Buhari has concluded plans to commence giving primary school children free meals daily.

Osinbajo stated that the free feeding scheme was a core project of the Federal Government that would in turn create about 1.14 million jobs and increase in food production.

He made this disclosure at the 45th Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja.


According to him, the Buhari-led government would be investing more in the people, education and job creation.

Speaking on the topic “Repositioning Nigeria for Sustainable Development: From Rhetoric to Performance,” Osinbajo noted that the multiplier effects of the introduction of the school feeding scheme would help to create 1.14 million new jobs; increase food production by up to 530,000 metric tonnes per annum, as well as attract fresh investments up to N980bn.


He said, “One of the most important interventions required in the education sector is capacity building to improve teacher quality.

“This programme is intended to drive teachers’ capacity development; boost basic education; attract talents to the teaching profession. Better educated population increases economic potential for productivity.


“The All Progressives Congress has made a commitment to provide one-meal-a-day for all primary school students; that would create jobs in agriculture, including poultry, catering and delivery services.”

On why some persons were poor, the VP said, “So, why are most (of our people) poor despite rising revenues and GDP growth? Our main revenue earners, the extractive oil and gas economy, do not by themselves create many jobs. Such is the irony of a top-down economic model; when the major revenue earner is extractive and the value chain is poorly developed,” he argued.

On the power sector, he noted that “despite the challenges, there have been measurable improvements over the past three months (June to August 2015).”