Princess Debisi Sosan, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria, on Tuesday led a three-member delegation to understudy the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP).
Addressing newsmen at the GSFP Secretariat, she said, although Nigeria was also implementing the programme, Ghana's programme had become a shining example on the continent and commended the Government and other stakeholders in the programme for excellent performance.
"Our visit is to learn more about how Ghana managed to achieve perfection in the programme and replicate same in Nigeria", she added.
The GSFP began in September 2005, with 1,984 pupils in 10 pilot schools, in each region in Ghana.
The programme is to reduce short term hunger and malnutrition in pupils, increase school enrolment, attendance and retention, and boost
domestic food production in Ghana.
Mr Seidu Adamu, National Coordinator of the programme, said currently, it covered 686,881 pupils, in 1,698 selected public primary schools in all the 170 districts in the country.
He said plans were underway to scale up the programme to benefit 1,040,000 pupils by the end of 2010.
Mr Adamu explained that the programme was to contribute to poverty reduction and food security in Ghana and commended the Government, the Royal
Netherlands Government and World Food Programme for their commitment.
On plans for the future, he said the target would be reviewed, evaluate the first phase and improve access to potable water and sanitation
facilities in the schools.
"We would also improve collaboration and cooperation among partners, enhance sensitisation of the public on the programme and link it to local small holder farmers", he added.
Mrs Irene Messiba, Focal Person of GSFP at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, explained that to ensure fairness and transparency monitoring activities of the caterers and the nutritional values of the food served was undertaken and urged authorities of selected schools to assist in the supervision daily.
She said initially, the programme was politicised making it difficult for the donors and the private sector to participate
According to her, it has now been depoliticised and efforts were being
made to boost the confidence of donors who were not prepared to provide funds but rather technical assistance in the form of capacity building and training of personnel.
Mrs Messiba said baseline information and actual impact on pupils were being assessed and would be determined during phase two of the programme.
The delegation would also visit some schools in the Greater Accra and Volta Regions.