ABIA: Aide Commends Ikpeazu’s Mid-Day Free Lunch Programme In Primary Schools, Lists Targets

Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu

GOVERNOR Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state has been commended for the immediate commencement of the free mid-day meal in all public primary schools across the state under the umbrella of Abia Primary Schools Lunch Programme (APSLUM) by his Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Rural Orientation and Sensitization, Chief Chike Onyendilefu.

The SSA who spoke to our correspondents on Wednesday stated that the immediate commencement of the programme by the state government was thoughtful and strategic adding that the initiative of free mid-day meals in all public primary schools in the state is analogous to killing many birds with a stone.

According to Onyendilefu, the feeding of the pupils, apart from boosting the morals of the pupils is extensively aimed at opening divers doors particularly improving nutritional needs of the pupils, promoting farming and providing jobs to citizens in the state.

“Abia State Schools Lunch Programme (APSLUM) is perceptively a multi dimensional approach to bringing good governance to the people of Abia State by the government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

“It’s cardinal objective is to boost the morale of children already in schools and in extension, make education attractive to those avoiding schools to enroll without more ado due to importance of education in the life of a child and pursuant to the child’s right to education as enshrined in the African Charter.

“It will help to meet the basic nutritional needs of children thereby expanding their opportunities of reaching full potentials.

“APSLUP is also targeted to reduce the pressure on households budget on foods by the state government’ indirect partnership by taking care of the lunch of children.

“It will develop and promote the agricultural sector in the state by serving only meals prepared from farm produce, grains, livestock produced in the state.

“It is also strategically aimed at empowering women by engaging them as caterers and thereby putting viable mechanisms in place towards the human development goals”, SSA said.

It will be recalled that Abia state was the first to adopt the mid-day feeding of the primary school pupils across the state as initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Governor Ikpeazu while launching the programme stated that his office will give it close monitoring to ensure overwhelming success due to the impact it will make in the lives of the children and the state in general.