School Feeding: Pupils Not Fed With Expired Rice In Niger – Focal Person, Gwa’ar

Amina Gwa’ar, the Niger State Focal Person for the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme has debunked claims that school children in the state with expired rice.

She said that all the food items fed to the kids are cleared and free for consumption by dieticians.

Reacting to claims by legislators of the state House of Assembly, who alleged that the programme involved a lot of malpractices and sharp practices from both officials and vendors, Gwa’ar said there is an urgent need to educate the lawmakers.

Last Thursday, the House summoned the state focal persons to appear before it to offer reasons why pupils are served expired and under nutritious meals.

The focal person said, “the rice the pupils are being given is not expired as claimed but are being produced and milled locally by farmers in the state to encourage farmers”

“We buy the rice directly from the local farmers and millers and we ask them not to polish the rice because of the nutrients. We feed our children with the best of foods that are fully certified by Dieticians. I can not allow anything less than the specified quality for our children.”

“I have been invited to the State House of Assembly and I will be there with all the local focal persons, farmers, millers including dietician and health official to educate them and indeed every one of the importance of not serving polished rice”.

The focal person is to appear at the House on Wednesday to clarify the claims by the lawmakers.