The Federal Government of Nigeria has given Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) permission to begin monitoring of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
The step according to them was for effective delivery towards ensuring that the program achieved its core purpose.
Speaking on Thursday in Ibadan during a day capacity building training for officials of NGOs and CSOs to monitor NHGSFP in Oyo State, the Monitoring Lead of the feeding program in Oyo State, Mr. Marcus Williams said the one day event was to train NGOs and CSOs on monitoring of the feeding program.
He noted that the training was to step down the training the NGOs and CSOs had received in Abuja on the monitoring of the program across the state.
He said, “Participants at this one day training are enlightened on the aim and objectives of the feeding program, partnership, collaborators, vendors, beneficiaries, process of monitoring and what should be monitored among others.
“We have established collaboration with the state government to ensure that the program does not fail in this state, we were called witch-hunters as a Civil Society, but we are only going to monitor this time around and support the development Federal Government is bringing down to the state.
“Part of our works is advocacy for good governance and dividends of democracy, we shall advocate for Private Public Partnership to play their roles and whenever they do their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), we are going to ensure that they actually do what they said they have done.
“Nigerians must see values the Federal Government and the state government are spending on the Feeding Program, and they must get feedbacks it commences.
In her remarks, the Oyo State program Manager for NHGSFP, Mrs. Juliana Fawole commended the Federal Government for the initiative, saying that it has helped to bring alot of children back to school.
She however urged the trainees to work for the progress of the program, adding that her attention should be called on in case there is any lapses.
Some participants across the 33 Local Governments of the state also shared their views and opinions virtually at the meeting.
