No fewer than 349 ghost schools enlisted for the homegrown feeding programme in Nasarawa State has been exposed by the Federal Government enumeration committee team.
The Committee team leader and adviser to the Humanitarian Minister, Mallam Abdullahi Usman, disclosed this when he led the team members to Government House, Lafia, to pay a courtesy visit to the Nasarawa Governor, Abdullahi Sule.
Usman, while alleging that some of the officials were diverting the money meant for schools feeding programme in the State, noted that 1,203 public primary schools were captured as benefiting schools at the commencement of the programme.
He said after the vetting exercise, “the committee discovered 349 ghost schools with some officials pocketing the money meant for feeding pupils of these schools.”
“Following the discovery, top ministry officials in Abuja recommended that Nasarawa State should be removed from the scheme, but in order not to subject the poor children to an undeserved punishment, the committee reneged on the decision,” Usman said.
However, Usman disclosed that the programme officer and the consultant for Nasarawa State were suspended and replaced.
He commended relevant stakeholders of the programme for ensuring the success of the programme in the State.
Among them are: the National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), National Bureau for Statistics (NBS), and the State Ministry of Education, amongst others.
The Nasarawa team leader also applauded the supportive efforts of the Governor.
