By Halimah Olamide
No fewer than eleven school children were hospitalised on Monday after allegedly eating food served by the school food vendor.
NPO Reports that the the pupils of St James Primary School, Owo-Ope, Osogbo, capital of the State were rushed to the hospitals by parents after they developed medical conditions.
All the pupils were said to have said they became uncomfortable after their respective meals. NPO Reports that the school feeding programme which started under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, was repackaged by the former Osun governor, Rauf Aregbesola, during his first term in office.
The scheme, which saw to the pupils from Elementary 1 to 4 being fed every school day was applauded to have increased school enrolments.
About 3,000 women were recruited as vendors for the scheme. Since the commencement of the scheme, Monday’s food contamination incident is believed to be the first of its kind.
The state government is yet to make any official statement on the development.
Responding to an inquiry by the NPO Reports later, Alimi said the governor has ordered an immediate investigation.
He said Adeleke directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs. Grace Oluwaseyi Ayodele.
He disclosed that the Governor has directed stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.
The affected cooks in the said schools alongside the Planning officer for the O-Meal programme have also been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday morning.
He added that the Governor has directed enforcement of food standard and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to forestall future occurrence.
According to Alimi, the Government has decided to take up 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 two hundred while one hundred and three are within the population receiving food from the O-Meal Programme.
A government delegation is also visiting families of the affected students.