By Matthew Okoata
Delta State Government has called total compliance in the ongoing data capture of primary pupils for National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme across public schools in the 25 local government areas of the state.
The Commissioner for Humanitarian and Community Support Services, Dr Darlington Ijeh made the call yesterday in Asaba during a two-day meeting on the latest updates and guidelines for cooks of National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme held in Asaba the state capital.
Day one of the meeting attracted local government secretaries and NGOs of programme, as well as, the 800 plus documented cooks under the programme from Delta North Senatorial District.
Ijeh appealed to the cooks to shun the habit of cutting corners and discharge their duties with the fear of God and service to humanity by following the stipulated guidelines.
“If you decide to collude with Head Master/Head Mistress by saying that you have cooked and fed our children when in actual fact you have not done that, I will certainly fish you out and your name would be yanked off the payroll”.
“The Secretaries and NGOs are our eyes and cannot afford to fail Deltans by not reporting any behaviour that falls short of required standard, because they know what awaits them if they are found wanting,” he said.
He revealed that after an appeal, the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD), Sadiya Farouq, an additional 49,000 forms were released to the state for the ongoing capturing exercise in public primary schools in the state.
Ijeh urged the cooks to ensure that all eligible pupils in the state were captured without arbitrarily short changing the pupils and the state in general.
The commissioner disclosed that the social wellbeing of Deltans was of a top priority to the Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and most especially that of our children.
“Am filled with joy that you no longer complain and that gladdens my heart that all of you now smiles.
“And I almost shed tears when I receive calls of some mothers like you, some fathers like you complaining of being short paid, your kids being short changed, some forms not being complete, pupils not being captured in various schools.
“It gives me great concern but we are not here to apportion blames. But what we are doing is the right thing,” he stated.
Ijeh used the platform to commend the State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for his visions and commitment to Delta State in delivering and keeping to his campaign promises to Deltans.
He stated that the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, which is one of the four components of National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP), was a federal government programme.
The commissioner, however, noted that without the enablement and a coordinated synergy on implementation from the state governor, the programme would have been a mirage in the state.
“All these are being done by the State Governor Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa and am only being used by him, and he being used by God and that is why we are able to achieve all these within few months I have being in office,” he added.
