School feeding programme will boost Ekiti economy – Egbeyemi

The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, has said the School Feeding Programme will boost the local economy and increase school enrollment.
Egbeyemi said the programme, expected to take off at the end of the month, will also provide employment opportunities for more people in the state.
The Deputy Governor, in a statement on Monday by his Special Assistant (media), Odunayo Ogunmola, disclosed that food vendors to be used for the school feeding had undergone interview and training ahead of the commencement of the programme.
He said that the school feeding programme, establishment of more schools in new neighbourhoods in Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti, and free medical mission to the grassroots are aimed at making residents feel the impact of governance.
Egbeyemi explained that the policy is taking off with pupils, who are in Primary One to Primary Three in all government owned primary schools, who will be fed once during school hours with quality meals that will stimulate their interest in their studies.
According to the deputy governor, eggs and chicken are part of the menu to be served to the pupils, assuring that hygiene will not be compromised in preparation of the meals.
He noted that the policy apart from attracting more pupils to public schools will also benefit farmers, market women, food vendors and their supporting workers.
While noting that the school feeding will change the face of education in the state, Egbeyemi sought the cooperation of all stakeholders to make the programme a huge success.
Egbeyemi disclosed that the state government decided to establish five schools in Ado Ekiti and one in Ikere Ekiti to bring education nearer to parents and pupils that trek long distances to get to school.
Explaining that other communities will get the same privilege in the future, Egbeyemi said rapid expansion of Ado and Ikere and limited resources was the reason why the policy is restricted to the two big towns for now.
He also declared the readiness of the state government to enforce the law on street trading in major towns in the state to prevent future occurrence of the trailer accidents at Iworoko Ekiti.
The deputy governor deplored street trading in major towns like Ado, Ikere, Iyin, Igede, Ilawe, which hinders free flow of traffic and constitute danger to the lives of buyers and sellers on market days.
He said the enforcement of the law will be done with human face after vigorous public enlightenment campaign might have taken place in a bid to save the lives of residents.