18 Osun Pupils Admitted In Hospital After Eating Free Meal; Governor Orders Probe

By Babatunde Solanke

No fewer that18 pupils of St. James Primary School B, Owo-Ope, Osogbo have been hospitalised after consuming food preprared under the Osun state government’s free school feeding programme.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Alimi, who said that Governor  Ademola Adeleke, had directed a probe into reports of the food poisoning, however, said the victims had been treated and discharged from hospitals.

“Osun State Government has ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning at St James primary School B, Owoope Osogbo,” the statement reads.

“The State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs Grace Ayodele.

 “The Governor has subsequently directed the stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations,” the statement read.

The commissioner said the cooks had been summoned to the government house, alongside the planning officer for the O-Meal programme to a meeting.

“Additionally, the governor has directed enforcement of food standards and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to forestall future occurrences.

“Meanwhile, the government is settling the medical bills of the affected students as narrated by the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, Mr Nathaniel Ojetola.

“The LGEA Chairman who was at the forefront of the intervention efforts disclosed that a total number of 18 students were treated and discharged.

“The total student population of the school is 200 while 103 are within the population receiving food from the O-Meal Programme. A government delegation is also visiting families of the affected students.”