18 pupils of St James Primary School B, Owoope, Osogbo were rushed to the hospital on Monday after eating a mid-day meal served to them under the Osun State’s Free School Feeding Programme, also known as O-Meal Programme.
The Osun State Government said it had launched investigations into the incident and suspended the free meal in the affected school pending the outcome of the probe.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Alimi, who confirmed the incident, said the affected cooks in the said schools alongside the planning officer for the O-Meal programme have been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday morning.
He said the governor had directed the enforcement of food standard and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to prevent a recurrence.
He also said the government had taken care of the medical bills of the affected pupils and that they were treated and discharged.
“The government is deeply concerned about the health and well-being of the pupils and will not tolerate any negligence or compromise on the quality and safety of the food served to them,” Alimi said.
He added that a government delegation would visit the families of the affected pupils to express the governor’s sympathy and assure them of the government’s commitment to their welfare.
