There are indications that food vendors for the federal government homegrown feeding programme in Ondo State and the state government are at loggerheads over a complaint that the money disbursed for school feeding in the state is grossly inadequate to prepare a quality meal.
The food vendors engaged by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for homegrown feeding programmes in the state kicked against the budgeted money for the feeding of the pupils.
According to the vendors, who said they have been experiencing series of challenges ranging from the operation and logistical problems, saying these challenges have been threatening the success of the programme in the state.
They stated that the money disbursed to them to cook for primary school pupils in the state is insufficient and was no longer practicable with the current economic and market reality.
Some of the food vendors who spoke to Tribune Online lamented that they were being given N12,000 weekly, N2,400 daily, to cater for about 50 to 70 pupils in some schools and said the money is grossly inadequate.
One of the food vendors, Mrs Toba Ajayi, explained that “The money given to us is not enough compared to the number of students we cook for. To be sincere, the government is giving us eggs for the pupils but the other expenses and items such as the stove and gas we are using to cook are now expensive.
“Food ingredients are also not friendly in the market and we have complained but nothing was done. That is why we give the pupils whatever is available. As for me, there is no way I will buy fruits for the pupils from this amount, how will I do it? So I have ruled out fruits because there is no money available for that.”
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In some of the schools visited by Tribune Online, in Akure South, Akure North, Ifedore and Idanre local government areas, it was observed that the homegrown school feeding menu plans for the pupils had been readjusted, as the pupils claimed they have not been given fruits for over two years.
Investigation revealed that some food items such as vegetables are no more given to the pupils while a very small ration of food is now being served in schools while many food vendors have not been consistent in coming to schools.
According to a headteacher from one of the primary schools in Ifedore local government, who commended the federal government for the school feeding programme which he said had helped with the enrolment into the school but lamented that the programme has suffered some setbacks.
He said “most times, when we called the cook, she will tell us that money is not dropping into her account. So we want the money to be dropping into their accounts as and when due.
“Sometimes, I studied the body language of the pupils. If the cook is a minute late, the beneficiaries will go and block the way that she would be coming from.
“Eventually, the cook may not come that day.
“That one is giving us stress by pleading to the pupils and giving them N10 each to get biscuits. In this light, the money must be paid in time for the cook to deliver. We really appreciate the efforts of the government.”
One of the Headmistresses, who spoke with our correspondent and pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the vendors no longer come for the programme, saying they have been complaining over the inability of the government to pay.
She, however, disclosed that some people from the federal capital in Abuja visited some schools and met with all school administrators and other stakeholders in respect of the programme.
She said “They said they will bring some forms to be filled by the PTA chairmen and other stakeholders. They promised to deploy corps members and some national agencies that will come to do capturing for the pupils between now and next month.
“They promised to add more money for the programme, and until then the programme will continue operation. The vendors have not come to this term. We have not seen them since we resume this term. Even last term, they did not come for about two weeks before vacation.”
In her reaction, the Senior Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Multilateral and Intergovernmental Relations and Ondo State Focal Person on Nigerian Social Investment Programme, Mrs Bunmi Ademosu, described the claims as untrue.
Ademosu said the food vendors had many times inflated the number of pupils they claimed to feed in many schools hence the need for biometrics data capturing, which is ongoing.
She said “It is not true. They are to take care of primary one to three pupils, so if they choose to take care of any pupil outside primary one to three, whose headache is that?
“There are rules and regulations following school feeding. We don’t pay money from Akure and their money is paid directly into their bank accounts. As we speak, the federal government is going round and doing biometrics to ascertain the number of pupils being catered for, but the result of biometrics will be out and this will settle it all.
It will be recalled that the school feeding was first launched in Ondo State in 2017 by the vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
The ministry also recently disclosed that over N1.8 billion had been expended on the programme in Ondo State during the biodata capturing exercise in the Ondo State.
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