Benue ’employs 4,150 cooks’ for school feeding programme

The Benue state government says it has recruited 4,150 cooks for the schools’ feeding programme of the federal government.

Terhide Utaan, focal person in charge of the social investment office in Benue, made the disclosure on Wednesday at a news conference in Makurdi.

“All items needed for the smooth take off of the programme are in place,” Utaan said.

“The federal government is expected to spend N3.81 billion on the feeding annually.”

Utaan said 272,818 pupils had been profiled out of 949,047 pupils expected to benefit from the exercise in Benue.

He said tthe state had also enlisted 9,094 youth in the first batch of its job creation and youth empowerment scheme, of which 5,000 of the selected youths will go into teaching.

He disclosed that up to 100,000 youth would eventually be recruited and trained as artisans in the scheme.

Utaan explained that 9,833 youths applied for the first phase of the scheme, noting that they had since assumed duties.

He said  31,740 youth had similarly, enlisted in the N-power volunteer scheme in the state, adding that selection of youth between 18 and 35 years in the second batch of the scheme would commence on June 13.

According to him, a total of N9.52 million will be spent monthly on paying selected youths.

He said that identification of market cooperatives under the government’s enterprise and empowerment had also commenced.