Fourteen months after mounting the saddle, the Muhammadu Buhari’s<\/p>\n
administration is yet to kick start its school feeding programme, as no
\ndue diligence was apparently done regarding the feasibility.<\/p>\n
In a recent article by columnist, Dele Sobowale in the Vanguard, he wrote
\n” Those who persuaded Buhari that Nigeria could offer free meals to over
\n20 million pupils daily and pay N5,000 to over 25 million jobless people
\nare condemnable liars. I think I know them. Those promises cannot be
\nfulfilled in 2015-2019. Nigeria will not be rich enough for that. \u201cThere
\nis no such thing as a free lunch.\u201d American Economics Professor, September
\n1964.<\/p>\n
Pointblanknews.com checks reveal that for the programme to be successful
\nit would need no fewer than 350,000 eggs per day, and no farm in Nigeria
\nhas that capacity to supply such.<\/p>\n
It was also learnt that the APC-led federal government had also asked
\nstate governments for a 40 per cent counterpart funding of the project.
\nSome state Governors are already kicking against the move, among them, Ayo
\nFayose of Ekiti state.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the administration launched the National Egg Production
\nscheme and signed N25Billion MoU with TUNS Farms, Osun State for egg
\nproduction, as birds eggs is on the import prohibition list.<\/p>\n
Despite the agreement, the production still fell short, so the President
\nhatched a plan to use the scheme to pacify aggrieved party faithful who
\nfeel left out, and a large number of his inner circle. Selected chieftains
\nwere asked to supply bids to import eggs from countries like Ghana, Togo
\nand Benin Republic.<\/p>\n
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the 350,000 eggs needed per day put the
\ncontract sum for importation at several Billions.<\/p>\n
The waiver therefore is a violation of the administration’s statute that
\nprohibits the importation of eggs.<\/p>\n
It was also gathered that ex President, Olusegun Obasanjo had lobbied from
\nthe start to be the major supplier of the eggs. But his farms in Ogun,
\nDelta, and Cross River states can only produce 25,000 within the time
\nframe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Federal Government is already looking for excuses for the impending
\nfailure of the programme by asking states to contribute 40 per cent to the
\nscheme,\u201d Fayose had said in a statement.<\/p>\n
He said the school feeding programme was purely a contract between the
\nAPC-led Federal Government and Nigerians.<\/p>\n
\u201cWere the states consulted before the APC made the promise during the
\npresidential campaign?\u201d the governor queried.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow can you make a promise and win election on the basis of that promise
\nand now expect states to help you to fulfil the promise? That to me is
\nfraud.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Fayose, Ekiti State and other states in the country deserve
\nto benefit from the programme without assisting the federal government
\nwith any 40 per cent counterpart funding.<\/p>\n
The governor said the APC-led Federal Government should rather blame
\nitself for failing to do proper study on the practicability of the scheme
\nbefore they promised.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fourteen months after mounting the saddle, the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is yet to kick start its school feeding programme, as no due diligence was apparently done regarding the feasibility. In…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52570,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-52569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n