Tinubu calls on governors to increase investments in the school feeding program.

 On Friday, President Bola Tinubu urged governors from the All Progressives Congress to prioritize the return of children to school by increasing investments in the school feeding program.

 During a meeting with members of the Progressive Governors Forum in Abuja, Tinubu emphasized the importance of involving all governors, regardless of their political affiliation, in the school feeding program to promote education. 

He urged officials to design and implement policies that prioritize all Nigerians and consider national interests over political affiliations. 

This call coincided with the suspension of all administered Social Investment Programs, including the school feeding program, by the National Social Investment Programme Agency, citing an ongoing investigation into alleged malfeasance. 

Tinubu highlighted the need for inclusivity, ownership, and sustainability in development policies, recognizing divisiveness as a significant challenge facing the nation.

Hence, he emphasized that the ruling party must focus on healing and uniting the country by fostering a collective national vision and directing resources toward nation-building.

He expressed the belief that it's possible to win people over and urged efforts to attract individuals to their side. Nigeria, in his view, possesses abundant human, natural, and material resources, making it unnecessary to struggle with inadequate infrastructure, education, and healthcare facilities.

Consequently, he affirmed plans to re-engineer the entire financial system for inclusivity, effectiveness, and efficiency, asserting that the country has no reason to be impoverished.

 Reflecting on the nation's history, he questioned the reasons for infrastructural decay, lack of quality education, and healthcare facilities.

President Tinubu urged governors to devise a framework for a more comprehensive and successful school feeding program nationwide, considering the unique characteristics of each locality but working towards ensuring all children attend school.

Highlighting the issue of out-of-school children, he emphasized the need to view their return to classrooms as an accomplishment rather than mere statistics. He proposed measuring economic growth in terms of value and empowerment and expressed readiness to invest in the school feeding program. 

Additionally, he anticipated that the program would stimulate agricultural investments, especially in livestock farming and dairy.

Tinubu mentioned a meeting with the Livestock Reforms Committee, which presented a proposal on September 14, 2023, advocating for the creation of a Ministry of Livestock to address herders-farmers conflicts and modernize livestock production. 

He noted that Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, the former Governor of Kano State and APC Chairman, had developed a proposal for input and implementation.

President Tinubu also applauded Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State for revitalizing irrigation systems that support year-round crop cultivation and expressed condolences for the loss of his media aide, Isa Gusau.

Regarding security, the President disclosed that the federal government is contemplating deploying well-trained forest guards equipped with modern technology and weapons to enhance security. 

He mentioned plans to establish special police units to secure the solid mineral and marine economic sectors, emphasizing the significance of marine police for the country's substantial marine economy.

 Tinubu expressed his willingness to invest in security and proposed the purchase and reservation of minerals, particularly gold, to bolster the foreign exchange reserve.

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, also the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, extended gratitude to the President for involving governors in policy design and implementation and for providing financial support to the states.

Governor Uzodimma expressed, "We will persist in supporting you as your competent, willing, and capable ambassadors."