The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Governor Ademola Adeleke to temporarily halt the free school feeding program.
This call was made in response to an incident at St. James Primary School in Osogbo, where 18 pupils were allegedly poisoned after consuming their O-Meal diet. The affected students were promptly treated at the hospital and subsequently discharged.
Reacting to the incident, the APC Chairman, Mr. Sooko Lawal, described it as an “embarrassment” and a reflection of the “unpreparedness” of the government. He blamed the situation on the poor working conditions and inadequate pay of the food vendors.
Lawal further called on stakeholders to condemn the “laissez-faire approach to governance” exhibited by the government.
The Osun State government has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the reported food poisoning incident. The implicated cooks and program planners have been called to a meeting. Furthermore, the government has mandated the enforcement of food safety standards and a thorough audit of the O-Meal program structure to avert similar incidents going forward.
However, Mr. Nathaniel Ojetola, the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, has verified that 18 students have been treated and released from the hospital.
He added that only 103 out of the school’s 200 students are involved in the O-Meal program. A government delegation is presently visiting the families of the impacted students, prompting concerns about the safety and quality of O-Meal program food.