Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu is seeking global support for a climate-friendly school meal programme in the country.
To this end, Tinubu attended a Roundtable lunch organized by the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation on the sideline of the 79th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York, United States (US).
The First Lady speaking on Tuesday called on development partners to assist Nigeria in its effort to kick off some climate friendly school meal programs.
She stated this, according to a statement signed by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, assuring that the Federal Government is committed to working for the Nigerian people and restoring the country’s stability.
Acknowledging the potential of school feeding programme to drive up enrollment in schools as well as promote nutrition among scholars, the First Lady said the programme is under review in Nigeria.
While President Bola Tinubu has shown commitment by declaring a state of emergency on food security in the country, the senator noted that the launch of Young Farmers clubNigeria and Every Home A Garden Competition promoted by her are clear indications of the priority attached to provision of affine nutritious meals to children and others in the society.
To ensure sustainable rollout, Nigeria with its surging population and climatic challenges, needs all the help she can get.
“Nigeria is open to assistance in that area. It is something that I believe we really want to do so that we can have school enrollment up and then get most of the children, especially children from the North that are going through desertification and recently, flooding as witnessed in Bornu State,” she said.
“It is an hydra headed problem that we are facing. But we are not really scared but we need all the assistance we can get.
“You can believe in our administration that we are here to work for our people and get Nigeria back on its feet.”
The goal of the Roundtable lunch which had in attendance other members of OAFLAD is to among others, position the school meals agenda in the G20 engagement of the African Union.
