By Bolaji Afolabi
A few days to the end of the year 2023, it was reported in regular and social media platforms that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave directives that the “suspended” “school feeding programme” started by the immediate past administration be re-introduced. Another feature of the news item was to the effect that the programme be relocated to the Federal Ministry of Education from Humanitarian Affairs, where it was domiciled during the Muhammadu Buhari government. The twin-changes was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, at a one-day retreat on “Ministerial Deliverables (2023-2027).” The event was attended by all directors and chief executives of agencies under the ministry.
According to Mamman, “as part of President Tinubu’s initiative to address the escalating challenges of out-of-school children in the nation, the school feeding programme is being introduced in Nigeria’s basic education system. This strategic measure aims to tackle the prevailing learning crisis and the persistent issues surrounding out-of-school children.” Mamman spoke further on the presidential directive, at the ministerial workshop which focussed on evolving incremental improvements in the realization of the education sector objectives under Tinubu’s administration. He averred that the re-introduction of the school feeding programme, “signifies a renewed commitment to addressing educational challenges and fostering the well-being of Nigerian children.”
Since it became public that Buhari’s school feeding programme was being re-introduced by the Tinubu administration, Nigerians are yet to demonstrate discernible enthusiasm and excitement. For many, it was an initiative that was arguably the most disingenuous education intervention programme, muted since 1999. Some wonder why Tinubu is bringing back a programme which was monumental failure while it lasted. It attained notoriety for bad planning, skewed operations, jaundiced implementation, and lacking in proper monitoring and evaluation. Some have outrightly rejected it’s re-introduction, noting that no matter how good-intentioned, it may be hijacked by economic parasites. How about government officials who may have resolved to satiate their prodigious appetites for the thievery of public resources set aside for the programme? As we wrote this, news broke that the two chambers of Nigeria’s legislative arm of government passed the 2024 Budget with over one billion naira earmarked for the contentious school feeding programme.
Recall that the school feeding programme later re-labelled “home grown programme” was first introduced by Buhari’s administration in his second term in office. Either as a result of his personal conviction about it’s imperative, or arguments advanced by core loyalists, Buhari ensured that humongous monies were voted by the legislature for the programme. As with many programmes which are not thoroughly thought through, irregularities and operational hiccups characterised the programme. Followers of the experiment concluded that it was nothing but a craftily prepared and naively executed initiative that depleted Nigeria’s scarce resources. It was further described as a clueless effort that merely served the uncaring, frivolous, and insouciant tendencies of few, privileged Nigerians. Not minding repeated criticisms about the failings and failures of these programmes, government appointees whose schedules were connected with the intervention initiatives always had cause to chest-thump. They gleefully reel out unverifiable data not only justifying the staggering funding but showcasing their over-hyped achievements through the programme.
Speaking as a guest during COVID-19 Taskforce media briefing on August 3, 2020, former minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk declared that about N535million was expended by the ministry on the modified “household initiative,” which was previously “school feeding programme.” According to statistics rolled out by her using two states and the FCT as pilot schemes, 124,589 households received “take home rations,” between May 14 and July 6, 2020. From the breakdown, Ogun state had 60,391 households; Lagos 37,589; FCT 29,609. That COVID-19 led to serious developmental challenges in the country is stating the obvious. That the pandemic gave rise to debilitating hunger, accentuating poverty and economic degeneration was also incontrovertible. Everywhere around and across the country, the faces of corrosive hunger, gloom, and doom, as well as varieties of economic meltdown were visible. But to come up with fairytales and insidious arguments aimed at hoodwinking Nigerians about the impact of the programme was giving truth a different meaning.
It was shameful that all the intervention programmes foisted on the people by the Buhari administration were clouded and cloaked in secrecy. From conception to implementation, the MDAs responsible for each of the programmes applied hideous templates and shadowy timelines. It was a classic example of a popular slant in old-time magic shows of “the more you look, the less you understand,” type. Many government officials exploited the programmes to feather their respective nests. The serial buffeting of Nigeria’s commonwealth noticeably assumed higher dimensions during the outbreak of COVID-19. It was a reign of wholesale greed and graft as multi-layered malfeasance was visited on the nation’s coffers. From different unconfirmed reports, government officials, politicians, and their associates embarked on unbridled misapplication, rudderless profligacy, and immoral acquisition of national funds. While these opportunistic vultures gloated and glowed in their ravenous thirst for primitive accumulation, the vast majority of the citizenry wallowed in perpetual lack and hunger.
Even after exiting office May 29, 2023 after his two-terms of 8 years tenure as the fourth president in Nigeria’s 4th republic, many people are still in palpable shock and surprise why, how, and what informed Buhari’s introduction of the school feeding programme and similar initiatives. Many people wondered about Buhari’s insistence on such vague innovations despite loud criticism and condemnation. Somehow, the last administration’s unbridled insensitivity emboldened some government officials, loyalists, and lackeys to mindlessly soil their hands, with minimum morality. The pilferage and conscienceless looting of appropriations for the school feeding programme was the bazaar of the time. Hiding under this and similar dubious, nebulous intervention schemes, the nation’s dwindling finances was mercilessly stripped and savaged.
Nigerians witnessed first hand the heights of executive insensitivity, glaring incapacity, and sustained deceit, as government sustainably funded the school feeding programme and similar initiatives despite public outcry. Many concluded that Buhari and his band members were decided on the weaponisation of poverty against the poor and powerless. There were insinuations that to cover it’s tracks, some government officials took incongruous steps and decisions. Technocrats in the education sector alleged that names of pupils in some public schools were collated from existing registers and listed as beneficiaries of the school feeding programme by some government officials. How desperate and despicable. Where is the place of morality, integrity, and honour? Whatever happened to transparency, and probity? It was the height of systemic impunity and official tongue-foolery. Contrary to Buhari’s tripodal promise on security, economy and the fight against corruption, Nigerians were in reality treated to the solidification and deepening of these viruses in dangerous and fearful dimensions.
Having witnessed gross financial heist and preposterous profligacy in the operations of the school feeding programme under Buhari, Nigerians may be forgiven for expressing doubt and worry with the re-introduction of the initiative by Tinubu. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), has recently unravelled alleged misapplication of N37bn in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs during the tenure of Sadiya Umar-Farouk. Nigerians may then be excused for minimising expectations about the programme under Tinubu’s administration.
Let’s hope that Tinubu and his economic team will have carried out proper re-evaluation and profound analysis of the programme before it’s recently publicised re-introduction. Naturally though, there are apprehensions about the government’s sincerity. Such negative perceptions can be corrected and the preceding narrative changed, emplaced if right, and proper steps are taken. President Tinubu must ensure that the legislature, relevant MDAs, the media, civil society organisations, and other critical stakeholders buy-in and take ownership of the programme from the outset. The Federal Government must directly lead the charge, and not states government given the propensity to abuse at that level of governance.
Government must resolve to free the programme from unnecessary bureaucracy. An experienced, God-fearing senior presidential aide may be vested with the schedule which covers the “school feeding programme,” which might as well be abbreviated “SFP.” We are talking here about a scheme which is interlinked with the development of the nation’s leaders of tomorrow. Zonal and states co-ordinators can be appointed or deployed as liaison between the presidency, through the president’s appointee, the education ministry, the zones, states, and the schools. The education ministry must evolve robust, transparent, reasonable, realistic, and inclusive template towards effective and efficient implementation of the programme. As the domiciled ministry of the programme, there must be pragmatic, people-driven, and citizens-focussed mechanism in perception management.
Fact is, Tinubu deserves commendation for his desire to return the “school feeding programme” despite it’s numerous past mistakes and faults. That the National Assembly appropriated monies to the programme confirms Tinubu’s passion and commitment to it’s successful take-off. However, this is just scratching the surface. The needs of our children, particularly in public schools are more diverse. Nigerians will applaud Tinubu and the governors if the precedence of late 1970s and early 1980s when children in public schools studied in clean classrooms fitted with quality furniture and provided free textbooks and relevant educational aids are replicated, and improved upon.
BOLAJI AFOLABI is an Abuja based Development Communications Specialist.