Wow Free Meal Campaign; Federal Government Set To Feed Schoolchildren Every Day

The Federal Government has signed a memorandum of understanding with NASCO Foods limited, Jos for commercial production of high nutrient density biscuit for the national school feeding programme. This was done in a bid to keeping to its campaign promises of providing quality education in the country.

Speaking at the occasion at the weekend, the Director General and CEO, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr. Mrs. Gloria Elemo, said the MoU was meant to provide a strategic guide for the collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Federal Institute – of Industrial Research Oshodi and Nasco Foods Limited, Jos on commercial production of High Nutrient Density Biscuit.

The initiative was an innovation of FIIRO for the National School Feeding Programme in the spirit of the Public-Private Partnership promoted by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The FIIRO boss stated that the strategic collaboration was one of the approaches that the institute considered and adopted to partner with relevant organizations that can make’ significant contributions to the realization of its mandate. ‘‘This is based on the realization that an Institute- on its own cannot· make the much desired impact without collaborating with relevant organizations.

Collaboration with strategic partners/organizations which could commercialize the Institute’s many innovations.’’ With this collaboration, Elemo assured that jobs and wealth would be created, while the national GDP will be enhanced through the productive sector of the economy.

She maintained that technology was the way to go for Nigeria to diversify her economy, most especially at this juncture of our national history when the nation is giving serious attention to utilization of indigenous technologies and the instrument of science and technology as a potent strategy to diversify the economy to provide alternative revenue sources.

The project she said was conceived out of the need to address the increasing food insecurity which had become a major concern especially for children between the ages 5 and 13 who are mainly primary school children.

Culled from Vanguard