School Feeding Vendors Protest In Ogun, Demand Pay Increase

Hundreds of the food vendors under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme in Ogun State on Wednesday, staged a rally round the Abeokuta metropolis to appreciate the support of the federal government for the opportunity given them to serve the school pupils under the scheme.

Clad in a uniformed tie and dye Kampala, the food vendors, under the umbrella of “Ogun Cooks”, took their “Thank You Mr. President” dance round the city in a motorcade before converging at the June 12 Cultural Center, Abeokuta, where their leaders spoke with newsmen.

Addressing journalists at the June 12 Cultural Centre Abeokuta, the trio of Serah Bello Omolabake, Lawal Asabi Monsurat, as well as Augustina Balogun appreciated the supports of President Muhammed Buhari and the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs,Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Farouq for keeping faith with the Home Grown School Feeding Programme till date.

The school feeding vendors however, appealed to the federal government to review the monetary allowances being paid to the vendors for preparing the pupils’ meals.

The trio of Balogun, Bello and Lawal in their messages said their request for the increase in the monetary allowances is premised on the daily increase in price of commodities at the market which they said is seriously affecting the food ration being served the pupils at their respective schools.

They also requested that the federal government should expand the scope of the school feeding to include pupils in the Primaries IV, V and VI rather than limiting it at the Pry III level that it is presently.

Reacting to the school feeding vendors’ rally, the Ogun State commissioner for special duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Olufemi Ilori Oduntan expressed delight at the rally and also acknowledged the cooperation of the Ogun Cooks towards ensuring that the scheme did not flop in the state.