Pres. Buhari pledges free meals to primary school pupils - Osinbanjo

At the 45th Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would soon start giving primary school children free meals. He said the free meals scheme was a core project of the Federal Government that would in turn yield about 1.14 million jobs and increase in food production.

Speaking on the topic “Repositioning Nigeria for Sustainable Development: From Rhetoric to Performance,” Osinbajo said that the multiplier effects of the introduction of the school feeding scheme would help to create new jobs; increase food production by up to 530,000 metric tonnes per annum, as well as attract fresh investments up to N980bn.

He said:

“One of the most important interventions required in the education sector is capacity building to improve teacher quality.

“This programme is intended to drive teachers’ capacity development; boost basic education; attract talents to the teaching profession. Better educated population increases economic potential for productivity.”

“The All Progressives Congress has made a commitment to provide one-meal-a-day for all primary school students; that would create jobs in agriculture, including poultry, catering and delivery services.”