Benue: Gov Alia sacks 6,512 Home Grown School Feeding Programme cooks

The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) in Benue State, the government has relieved 6,512 cooks who served in the program between 2017 and 2023 of their duties. This development was disclosed by Mr. Aondowase Kunde, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, during the commencement of the training for the state’s Master Cooks of NHGSFP in Makurdi.

The Commissioner emphasized that this decision was part of a broader effort to revamp the program. He further revealed that the state government had mandated the recruitment of new cooks to be carried out locally at the Council Wards, ensuring equal access to the opportunity for ordinary women.

“This is a clear deviation from the past where only influential citizens cornered slots to themselves and their immediate families,” stated the Commissioner.

He added, “This administration conducted a review and evaluation of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, and as part of measures to reorganize the programme, all cooks who served between 2017 and 2023 have been disengaged.”

The Commissioner emphasized that the move aims to enable more citizens to benefit from the program, aligning with the objective of spreading Social Investment Programmes to all Nigerians, especially the less privileged, within a specified timeframe. He stressed that new cooks selected would be individuals who had not previously benefited from the program.

Assuring transparency in the recruitment process, the Commissioner highlighted the anticipated benefits of the overhaul, focusing on delivering safe and nutritious meals to over 400,000 pupils benefiting from the NHGSFP in Benue State. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining a hygienic environment for the children.

“I want to charge the Cooks who will be trained today to pay rapt attention to the training sessions, knowing that they will be required to cascade the training to over 6,512 of their colleagues, ensuring a seamless implementation of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme in line with standard best practices,” the Commissioner urged.