Fund school feeding scheme with recovered loot, governor tell FG

EFCC stresses whistleblowing for successful anti-graft fight

The Federal Government has been called upon to use loot recovered by the Economic and Crimes Commission (EFCC) from corrupt Nigerians to fund the home-grown food programme in the country. 
 
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, made the appeal when he hosted National Coordinator of the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Mrs Anjor Obande, in Katsina.
 
Radda also called on the government to get development partners to collaborate with the country to make the programme viable. 
 
He stressed the need for a national partnership and increased funding to support expansion of the programme.  
 
The governor said the home grown programme, when given the necessary attention, would reduce the number of out-of school children. 
 
While highlighting the state’s financial burden, Radda stated that the state government was grappling with feeding over 30,000 students in boarding schools, alongside other projects and programmes
 
The situation, he said, had been complicated by the pending issue of minimum wage increase.
 
He submitted that expanding the feeding programme in the state to include some two million pupils from Primary 1 to 3 would significantly increase the number of beneficiaries. 
 
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s preparedness to supporting effective implementation of the scheme.

Responding, Obande recalled that the initiative, initiated by the immediate past administration, was suspended in February due to observed irregularities.
 
She assured that the programme is back to create a greater impact. 
 
The federal official explained that the programme ensures school children get nutritious food to improve educational outcomes and encourage them to complete their education.
 
She disclosed that the current administration would expand the programme from the initially identified 10 million school children to 15 million kids. 
 
The aim, Obande added, was to include children from Primary 4 to 6.
 
She appealed for more collaboration with the state governments in ensuring the success of the scheme.
 
Earlier, National Coordinator and Executive Director of the programme, Dr Mudasir Nasir, said Katsina has an existing policy framework and support systems that would ensure sustainable implementation of the scheme in the state.

MEANWHILE, EFCC Chairman, Kayode Olukoyede, has underlined the place of whistleblowers in the successful execution of anti-graft fight in the country.
 
He said no meaningful achievement would be recorded without the contributions of whistleblowers.
 
Olukoyede, therefore, advised Nigerians to “embrace this obligation more seriously. We cannot win the war against corruption through lip service, emotional outburst or mere mob campaigns.”
 
He cautioned that every whistle blown must point towards truth and evidential proofs.
 
Olukoyede added that, “aside terrorism, corruption ranks as the next deadliest affliction of humanity in every region of the world.”
 
Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara State, the anti-graft czar warned of punishment for false claims and misleading intelligence.
 
Represented by the Ilorin zonal command coordinator, Harry Erin, the EFCC boss, in an address read on the occasion of the 2024 African Anti-corruption Day, themed: “Deepening Anti-Corruption Fight

Through Effective Whistle Blowing,” submitted: “There is a need for commitment, passion, consistency and credibility of intelligence. Every whistle blown must point towards truth and evidential proofs.
There is punishment for false claims and misleading intelligence.
 
“The world over, the issue of corruption has been a bane to both local and global development. 
 
“There can be no accurate statistical or quantitative evaluation of the havoc corruption is wreaking on genuine efforts at development because of its pervasive and recurring nature.”

The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of Kwara State Traditional Rulers, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, represented by Olusin of Isanlu Isin, Oba Solomon Oloyede, urged the commission to extend sustained awareness on pervasive impact of graft to all local councils and communities across the federation.

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