Jigawa sacks contractors over substandard school meals

The Jigawa State Government has dismissed and suspended several contractors involved in its school feeding programme over allegations of fraud and supplying substandard food.

State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Auwalu Sankara, announced the action on Thursday following inspections prompted by public complaints. He stated the move aims to sanitize the programme and protect students’ welfare.

Inspections revealed significant discrepancies, including a case where a boarding school reported 1,008 students but only 681 were physically present. Some contractors were found supplying unfit soup and low-quality rice.

“While we are cracking down on errant contractors, we also acknowledge those doing their job honestly,” Sankara said, citing one contractor who was retained for satisfactory service.

The Commissioner warned that the government will not tolerate any compromise in student welfare and that offenders will face legal consequences. Stakeholders have welcomed the action, urging swift replacement of the suspended contractors to avoid disrupting the feeding programme.