School feeding: Officials sensitise cooks on hygiene, stakeholders collaboration

The Federal Government’s Home-grown Schools Feeding, a component of its Social Investment Programme, on Wednesday, sensitised cooks in Nasarawa state on hygiene and interpersonal relationship with schools management and staff.

Mr Amos Magaji, the Nasarawa Programme Manager, told newsmen in Lafia, that the sensitisation was part of the quarterly review meeting with the cooks across the local government areas of the state.

According to him, the essence of the meeting and sensitisation is to enable the management to reflect on the success of the programme and the areas that needed to be improved upon.

Mr Magaji added that the sensitisation became necessary to address incessant clash of interest between the schools management and the cooks in their respective schools.

“The essence of this quarterly review meeting with the cooks is to sensitise them on what to do.

“Today is for Lafia and Doma Council areas turn, we are advising them to cultivate cordial relationship with their respective schools management,” he said.

The programme Manager decried the attitude of some cooks that refused to participate in cooking after collecting their stipend from the federal government.

Magaji said the scheme was working with some security agencies to identify defaulters with a view to sanction them and possibly stop their stipend.

On his part, Aminu Maifata, Chairman Lafia Local Government Council, advised the cooks to accord the programme the seriousness it deserved.

He noted that the programme would improve the lives of the rural people and as well serve as their source of income.

Maifata said that the programme has encouraged parents and wards, thereby increasing schools enrollment of pupils in the state.

Similarly, Mr Rabo Sani, Chairman, Doma Local Government Council, thanked the federal and state governments for conceiving the idea, saying that it has increased school enrollment.

Sani however, appealed for the sustenance of the programme due to its impact.

On her part, Halima Yusuf, Nasarawa State Nutritional Officer, while given health talk on hygiene, enjoined the cooks to always observe basic hygiene while preparing meals for the pupils.