By Blessing Bature, Abuja

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on nutrition for the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq, was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, mni, NPOM, at the event which took place in Abuja.

Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Deputy Director Information said in a statement that the MoU was another milestone, for the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

According to him, the approval of the Policy on National Home Grown School Feeding Programme by the Federal Executive Council and the Signing of an MoU on nutrition is a step forward towards realising the objectives of the School Feeding programme in Nigeria.

"I am really happy that this is happening at a time when this country is transiting to a new administration. They will require this kind of documentation to build upon because people will change, leadership will change, but once the documentation is right, we are on the right cause. The MoU is not just going to be a symbolic signing but a strategic one. The Ministry will continue to work towards achieving its separate, but yet mutual objectives of building resilience, and empowering people", he noted.

He further stated that another strategic importance of the MoU is that the GAIN will go down in history as one of the first organisation to partner with government in institutionalizing this process.

In his welcome remarks, the National Coordinator National Social Investment Programme, Dr Umar Bindir, said the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) under National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) is gradually maturing and it is attracting partnership internationally, which is an index that the Ministry was doing the right thing.

He said the passage of the policy of the National Home-grown School Feeding Programme by the Federal Executive Council is an indication that what the President has very carefully created innovatively based on evidence is actually the way to go.

Earlier, the Country Director GAIN, Dr. David Mamewalen, congratulated the entire team of the Ministry on the passage of the policy, which really sets it all for further engagement and future investment.

Dr David stated that the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding would help to set the stage on how the Ministry and the GAIN can collaborate better over the coming months and years and thanked the ministry for the partnership.

In her votes of thanks, the Team Lead, National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, Aisha Digil , on behalf of the Honourable Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq and the entire Home-Grown School Feeding team at National and state levels, thanked the GAIN team for the partnership.

She stated that the milestones were achieved by the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme as a result of the good leadership by the Ministry, adding that the high point of the event was the signing of the MoU which was witnessed by the Director Legal and other Directors of the Ministry, National Coordinator, NSIP and officials of NHGSFP and the GAIN .