El-Rufai begins feeding programme for school pupils

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has inaugurated a free-feeding programme for 1.5 million pupils in the state's 4,000 public primary schools.

El-Rufai, who spoke during the event held at the Aliyu Makama Road Primary School, Barnawa, in the Kaduna-South Local Government Area, said his administration was committed to the health and education of children in the state.

He noted that the free-feeding programme was borne out of the change agenda that the All Progressives Congress promised the people of the state.

The governor said the move would empower women and boost the economy of the state.

According to him, the programme would create 17,000 jobs for catering vendors.

He said that while the Federal Government would bear 60 per cent of the cost of the programme, the state would foot the remaining 40 per cent in feeding the 1.5 million pupils across the 23 LGAs in the state.

He said, 'Parents have been responding with enthusiasm. At the beginning of this session, enrolment in public schools rose by 64 per cent. Today is a special day in the unfolding of the change agenda that the APC was elected to implement.'