Focal person for the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, in Niger State, Barrister Amina Gwa’ar has debunked allegations that school pupils in the state were fed with expired rice.
She stated this during an interactive session with the newsmen at the weekend in Minna, adding that all the food items in the state were cleared for consumption by dieticians.
Her response came on the heels of the allegations by members of the Niger State House of Assembly during the plenary session that there were reports of malpractices and sharp practices against officials and vendors involved in the programme.
Gwa’ar however stated there was an urgent need to educate the lawmakers on the activities of her office in the state.
The focal person said, “the rice the pupils are being given to eat 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 cannot 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 dieticians and health officials to educate them and indeed every one of the importance of not serving polished rice,” she maintained.
The focal person is billed to appear at the State House of Assembly on Wednesday.
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