Vice President Kashim Shettima made a significant announcement during a dialogue on nutrition in Nigeria held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had given the green light for 20 percent of food intervention programs to be directed through religious and traditional institutions.
This move aims to address concerns raised by various religious leaders, including the Imam of Bayero University, regarding the exclusion of these institutions from the distribution of palliatives.
Specifically, Shettima highlighted that organizations such as Tsangaya schools and mission schools would be specifically targeted for this intervention.
To ensure effective implementation, the Ministry of Agriculture will take charge of coordinating and streamlining the distribution process.
Moreover, Shettima revealed that 20 percent of the funds allocated for the Federal Government’s School Feeding Programme would also be directed through the office of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to religious bodies.
This decision underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with faith-based organizations.
Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, will play a pivotal role in anchoring and supervising the program’s implementation.
“This intervention will be anchored in the office of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, and he is going to anchor the programme.”
The government has already initiated engagements and is working on modalities for the intervention to ensure transparent disbursement of resources
“We are going to provide the overall supervision towards the implementation of the programme,” said the VP who added that “the government had already commenced engagement and working out modalities for the intervention to ensure transparent disbursement.”
