As Muslims worldwide commence the 2025 Ramadan fasting, the Jigawa State government launched its annual Ramadan Feeding Programme to provide meals for over 5.3 million people during the holy month.
While the initiative may appear to be some form of support for the indigent, it transcends mere charity, encompassing empowerment, job creation, poverty alleviation, and fostering economic growth and development.
According to the economic theory of the multiplier effect, one dollar spent on fiscal stimulus eventually creates more than one dollar in growth. Government intervention in economic processes is important for battling unemployment, underemployment, and low economic demand.
This theory appeared to be a classical interpretation of the Jigawa state government’s Ramadan Feeding Programme.
The programme’s unique approach lies in its mechanism: sourcing food items locally, preparing meals within beneficiary communities, employing local cooks—primarily women—and implementing robust monitoring and supervision systems. These features distinguish it from conventional feeding schemes.
When Governor Malam Umar Namadi approved the allocation of over N4.8 billion for the programme, some critics, seemingly disconnected from societal realities and lacking human compassion, were quick to condemn the initiative.
However, engaging with such narrow-minded persons is neither relevant nor necessary. Anyone with a sense of empathy, regardless of social, ethnic, or religious background, understands the significance of providing even a single meal to those in need.
Imagine the impact of feeding hundreds of thousands of underprivileged individuals who spend the whole day fasting, uncertain about their next meal. Even for those who do not believe in the divine, such a feeding arrangement deserves commendation.
The government is responsible for supporting citizens in fulfilling their moral and spiritual obligations, not just their economic and material needs.
Reflectively, the Jigawa State government, under Governor Namadi’s leadership, first introduced the Ramadan Feeding Programme in 2024, shortly after the removal of fuel subsidies. The initiative was further enhanced and expanded for 2025.
Under the 2025 programme, two feeding centres were established in each of the state’s 287 political wards, with additional centres set up in higher institutions and major markets. A total of 690 vendors were contracted to supply cooked meals directly to these centres.
The programme has also created employment opportunities for 3,312 women cooks selected from within the beneficiary communities. Each centre will serve meals to over 265 people daily, with the approved menu including Kunu, Kosai, and Jollof Rice. For 30 days, the program will feed 185,000 people every day.
While briefing the 30 selected food vendors tasked with managing the programme across the state’s 30 constituencies, Governor Namadi emphasised that all vendors were chosen based on merit and are Jigawa State indigenes.
Governor Namadi directed the vendors to ensure that all food items are sourced locally within their constituencies. For instance, a vendor from Auyo is prohibited from sourcing ingredients from Hadejia. Additionally, vendors were instructed to hire cooks from outside their families to broaden the program’s economic impact.
The governor reiterated that the feeding programme aligns with his administration’s policy of empowering citizens through entrepreneurship. The initiative is designed to promote prosperity and growth by stimulating local economies and creating sustainable livelihoods.
The programme is overseen by the Office of the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. Auwal Dalladi Sankara, while the feeding exercise is managed by a 40-member committee chaired by the State Commissioner for Basic Education, Hon. Yunusa Danzomo.
Commissioner Sankara disclosed that all food vendors underwent comprehensive training and sensitization to ensure the delivery of high-quality meals to beneficiaries.
The state government has equally approved a speacial package of food items to be distributed to all civil servants as Ramadan gesture.
In collaboration with local government chairmen, the ministry also trained women cooks, emphasizing personal and environmental hygiene during food preparation and beyond.
The government has adopted stringent measures to ensure the delivery of hygienic and nutritious meals to beneficiaries.
Governor Namadi assured vendors and cooks that the program would economically empower them while warning against any breaches of public trust.
He vowed to take decisive action against any violations of contractual agreements or compromises in the quality of meals provided.
The Jigawa State Ramadan Feeding Program stands as a testament to the government’s commitment to holistic development, combining compassion and a welfarist approach with strategic economic empowerment. It is a model that other states and nations could emulate to address both immediate needs and long-term growth.
