The minister of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHDSD), Sadiq Farouq, has distanced herself from the diverted N2.72 billion meant for School Feeding during the lockdown.
Reacting to reports that monies meant for the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme during the lockdown was diverted, the minister said it had nothing to do with her ministry.
“FMHDSD wishes to dissociate itself from a trending report in the media titled “N2.72b for School Feeding During Lockdown Diverted To Private Accounts”.
“The report emanated after a presentation by the Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye at the 2nd National Summit on Diminishing Corruption and was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
According to her, the report states thus “preliminary investigation had indicated that part of the N2.67billion was diverted to private accounts. It also revealed that over N2.5 billion was misappropriated by a senior civil servant (name withheld) in the ministry of agriculture and now deceased, for himself and cronies”.
She however noted that the the statement by ICPC was twisted and misinterpreted by mischief makers and directed at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
“The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development hereby informs the public that the Federal Government Colleges school feeding in question is different from the Home Grown School Feeding which is one of its Social Investment Programmes.
“That the School Feeding under scrutiny is feeding of students in Federal Government Colleges across the country and is not under FMHDSD which only oversees Home Grown School,” the statement said.
