Osun: Gov Adeleke renews commitment to school feeding programme, seeks partnerships

The Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday renewed the state government’s commitment to enhancing the O-Meal School Feeding Programme, which was introduced in 2006.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ conference held in Abuja, the governor, who called on stakeholders and partners for support, reiterated the need to continuously improve the nutritional health status of school pupils in the state.

The programme had representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Princess Barry-Chukwu, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), AUDA-NEPAD, the Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, technocrats, private sector players, and development partners.

Others included the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown Feeding Programme, Mrs Yetunde Adeniji; representatives of the UN World Food Programme, Adaku Ekpo; National Convenor, United Nations Food System, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Sanjo Faniran, among others.

Represented by the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, Professor Abdulmaruf Adeleke, the governor, in his keynote address, said that apart from enhancing a good learning environment, the sustainability of the initiative stemmed from the need to nurture well-nourished children in preparation for a healthy and brighter future.

Despite growing food inflation, the programme, which according to the governor has reached thousands of children over the years, is being upscaled despite glaring challenges plaguing its sustainability.

Adeleke called on development partners, donor agencies, and philanthropists to partner with the state government in building a smarter Osun pupil.

“The sustainability of O-Meal provides an opportunity to invest in the lives of children, women, and others in the state. Every financial or technical contribution directly impacts children, allows for a more equitable society, and helps in drawing a clear roadmap for sustainability and development.”

Representing the AUDA-NEPAD CEO, Agymi Abubakar said the Osun Home-Grown School Feeding Programme has, over the years, built a healthier, more productive workforce for Nigeria.

“We are not only addressing immediate hunger but also enhancing schooling driven by its own citizens—this resonates deeply with the principles of the programme,” he said, and then called for strong partnership with the private sector and sustained budgetary support in order to maximise the health benefits for children.

Earlier, in her opening remarks, the Commissioner for Federal Affairs, Chief Mrs Nike Adeleke, who described the event as a celebration of a home-grown success story, said the renewed call was to strengthen and sustain the initiative in order to continue shaping the lives of thousands of children and families in the state.

“Since its inception in 2006, the O-Meal programme has stood as a beacon of consistency and innovation, making Osun the only sub-national in Nigeria that has maintained an uninterrupted and structured initiative with over 200,000 direct beneficiaries, including schoolchildren,” she said.

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