The Federal Government is set to kick-start the free meal program in public schools with a large number of students to benefit from it.
File photo used only for illustrative purpose
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, has stated that the Federal Government, and not the states, will fund the A-Meal-A-Day programme launched last week.
Alhaji Mohammed also said when fully operational, 5.5 million school children will benefit from the programme.
He made the clarification in Lagos, yesterday, at the eighth Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu Memorial Ramadan Lecture, with the theme: “Supreme sacrifice and the essence of followership in governance.”
According to him, the Federal Government was working carefully towards making life more meaningful for Nigerians through carefully designed projects, noting that a N500 billion Social Intervention Programme had been put in place to help alleviate poverty.
“This government is making a lot of sacrifices and it is also expecting a lot of sacrifices from the people. The N500 billion Social Intervention Programme which is broken into five parts covers employment of 500, 000 unemployed graduates who will be trained as teachers.
"It also covers the employment of 100, 000 artisans as well as the One-Meal-A-Day programme for pupils in primary schools.
“The Enterprise Scheme which is targeted at one million market men and women, 460, 000 artisans, 200, 000 agriculture workers is also covered in the programme. It also covers the N5,000 monthly conditional cash transfer to the poor and vulnerable,’’ he said.