Hundreds of the food vendors under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme in Ogun appreciated the supports of the Federal government for the opportunity given them to serve the school pupils under the scheme.
Clad in a uniformed tie and dye Kampala, the food vendors, under the umbrella of “Ogun Cooks”, took their “Thank You Mr. President” dance round the city in a motorcade before converging at the June 12 Cultural Center, Abeokuta.
Addressing journalists, the trio of Serah Omolabake, Lawal Monsurat, and Augustina Balogun appreciated the supports of President Muhammed Buhari and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs,Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Farouq.
They commended them for keeping faith with the Home Grown School Feeding Programme till date.
The school feeding vendors however, appealed to the federal government to review the monetary allowances being paid to the vendors for preparing the pupils’ meals.
They stated that their request for the increase in the monetary allowances was premised on the daily increase in price of commodities at the market which they said was seriously affecting the food ration being served the pupils at their respective schools.
They also requested that federal government should expand the scope of the school feeding to include pupils in the Primaries four, five and six rather than limiting it at the primary three level.
Reacting to the School Feeding Vendors’ rally, the Ogun State Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Olufemi Oduntan expressed delight at the rally.
Oduntan acknowledged the cooperation of the Ogun Cooks towards ensuring that the scheme did not flop in the state.
He , however, assured the vendors that all their requests and demands would be adequately addressed if the All Progressives Congress (APC) and it’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is voted into power to continue the programme.
