APC and Adeleke Trade Blames Over Food Poisoning in Osun Primary School

Osun State Government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on Tuesday go at loggerheads following an incident of alleged  food poisoning which led to about 18 pupils being hospitalized, warning Adeleke to stop ‘toying’ with the lives of pupils under the school feeding program.

It was earlier reported that the victims who are pupils of James Primary School B, Osogbo, Osun State developed complications linked to the mid-day meal served in the school to the children, under the O-meal free school feeding program by the government.

See Also: Panic Arise as 18 Osun Pupils Hospitalised Due to Alleged Food Poisoning

Osun State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Dipo Eluwole, said over 100 pupils were served the food and wondered why only about 11 of them living within the same compound were the only ones affected.

Eluwole, who said the affected pupils were met writing examination when officials from the ministry visited the school on Tuesday, further explained that after completing their examination, they were told of the plan by the government to have them examined at a public hospital, parents of the pupils refused the offer.

He said “We recorded that scene. When I was told what the parents of the affected pupils said, I mandated the officer in charge of the school to release the pupils to government officials and they were taken to UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo. After they were examined, the doctors told us that nothing was wrong with them.

Read More: Osun Govt Orders Full Investigations in Affected School Alleged with Food Poisoning

“One of the pupils has malnutrition. After she was examined, we were told that the only food that particular pupil eat daily is the one government serves them in school. The girl is malnourished. We told the hospital to admit and treat her for malnutrition. We however warned the hospital to ensure that they keep an eye on her so that opposition party won’t kidnap her and blame it on the government.

“We interviewed some of the parents and they said one Boda Wasiu asked them to say all they said on camera yesterday (Monday). They said nothing affected their children. We don’t want the person who gave us that hint to be tagged. But we will want the said Wasiu to be apprehended and answer questions regarding what they claimed he did. We will not want to mention the source so that they will not attack her. That Wasiu is a card-carrying member of APC. They just want to tarnish the name of this administration.”

But while commenting on the incident, Osun APC chairman, Mr. Tajudeen Lawal, warned the governor, Ademola Adeleke, to stop toying with the lives of the school pupils with the substandard food being served the pupils by the vendors under the school feeding programme.

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Lawal in a statement also stated that the incident was a cumulative effect of the lackadaisical approach of the man at the helm of affairs in the state.

The state APC chairman said, “The humanity in me became uncomfortable when one of the mothers of the victims gave an account of the state of his child that immediately his son came back from school, he started smelling an offensive odour of rotten eggs. Is it true that only miserable N64 was budgeted for each pupil per meal? Is it true the government of Adeleke pays N10,000 per month to each O’Meal vendor?

“If these allegations are true, then Governor Adeleke must have a clear conversation with his Creator. How would the food vendors be dedicated when they are paid peanuts and are not supplied with the right food supplies, at a time he himself budgeted billions for his own food and refreshments?