Despite the problems facing basic education in the country, some state governments have failed in paying counterpart funding to access over N45,730,811,745 set aside by the Federal Government for basic education. Frank Ikpefan, Abuja, Kolade Adeyemi, Jos, Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan, Onimisi Alao, Yola, Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti, Victor Gai, Jalingo, and Ogo Anioke, Abakaliki, report on the issue.
NIGERIA faces a learning crisis which has been compounded by the growing problem of out-of-school children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicated. It is, therefore, surprising that some state governments have failed to prioritise education.
According to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) 27 states failed to access over N45,730,811,745 set aside by the Federal Government for basic education. The figures obtained from UBEC dated July 1, 2024, covered grants from 2020 to 2023, which the 27 states failed to provide the counterpart funds to access their allocations.
A breakdown of the figure showed that: Abia (N4,288,389,014.05); Adamawa (N2, 600, 237, 320.29); Akwa Ibom (N1, 395, 780, 708.52); Anambra (N2,600,237,314.29); Bauchi (N2,600,262,186.61); Bayelsa (N1,395,804,960.52); Benue (N20,007.39); Cross River (N2,047,028.41); Ebonyi (N2, 600, 237,314.29); Edo (N2, 600, 237,314.29); Ekiti (N1,396,784,956.76); Gombe (N1,395,784,959.14); Imo (N3,546,883,977.36); Kaduna (N1,395,784,960.49) and Kano (N581,577,067.70) failed to provide counterpart funds to access the grant.
Other states included: Katsina (N1,395,784,959.15); Kebbi (N1,395,784,960.53); Kogi (N1,395,784,960.53); Lagos ((N1,395,9926,149.23); Niger (N237,313.98); Ogun (N4,261,988,113.90); Oyo (N2,600,237,314.29); Plateau (N1,395,784,960.53); Rivers (N697,892,480.96); Yobe (N1,395,834,960.71); and FCT (N1,395,784,961.46).
Why states fail to access funds
An official of the commission told The Nation that some state governments prefer to leave the funds to “mature” before they provide their counterpart money for the grant.
But another said some state governments that “didn’t utilise previous grants provided by the commission properly are denied access to the funds because of fear of the money being diverted to other use”.
Also, the Director of Finance and Accounts at UBEC, Adamu Misau, attributed the accumulated funds with the commission to “lack of political will from governors”.
Misau, in a paper presented during a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Effective Schools Programme in Abuja on Tuesday, lamented high discretionary powers of the executive and legislature, which results in lack of prioritisation of basic education, poor budget credibility and implementation.
He also blamed the lack of clear policy on funding basic education at the state and the local government levels on the increased funds with the commission.
Falana sues 36 states
Early this year, Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), dragged the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory before the Federal High Court in Lagos over their failure to access N68 billion Universal Basic Education Commission funds to provide free basic education for their citizens.
The SAN said the states failed to pay the counterpart funds necessary to access the UBEC funds to provide free basic education for citizens.
Also joined as defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN) and UBEC.
Falana wants the court to determine “whether the refusal or failure of the respondents to access the sum of N68 billion for the Universal Basic Education of children of school age in Nigeria is illegal as it violates section 11(2) of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.
Reactions from states
Oyo: we have finalised payment of outstanding fund
The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran, said the state government has finalised the payment of the outstanding counterpart fund, following an approval for the release of the fund by the state government.
He assured that the Oyo SUBEB account will be credited before the week runs out, which will be followed by a notification to UBEC for verification and release of the other part to the state government.
On why the payment was delayed, Adeniran said 2023 was an election year, which means that many decisions could not be taken immediately. He said the board was constituted late last year, adding that it has been working assiduously since then, with the payment of this counterpart fund as one of the results of its efforts.
We’re up-to-date with payment, says Adamawa
The Adamawa State Government said that it is up-to-date with payment of counterpart funds to the UBEC. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, who spoke on the matter with our correspondent, asserted that because the state has paid all necessary counterpart funds to the commission, it has in turn accessed the funds due to the state.
On being told of information that the state has outstanding grant of N2,600,237,320 to collect, Wonosikou said although he could not put the transactions between the commission and the state in figures, he was sure the state is up-to-date with its obligations and entitlements from the commission.
Attempts to get the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Commission (ADSUBEB) to speak on the matter did not yield fruits.
Ebonyi: we are accessing UBEC funds
The Ebonyi State Government said it is accessing the UBEC funds available to it. It said it is ever ready to pay its counterpart fund to access all the funds.
Commissioner for Education Paul Nwobasi stated this in Abakaliki, the state capital.
He was reacting to reports that the state failed to access over N2 billion from UBEC counterpart funds between 2020 to 2023. According to him, the administration of Governor Nwifuru is ever ready to pay its own counterpart funds and access the funds to enable it develop the education sector.
He noted that majority of the unaccessed funds may have been from previous administration.
According to him, “the funds cannot be accessed at once. It is accessed in tranches and this takes time. So, it is not that we are not ready to access them but the process involved means we cannot access it as fast as we want,” he added.
Ekiti denies owing counterpart fund
The Ekiti State Government has faulted the report by the UBEC that the state has failed to pay counterparts fund to access the grant.
Commissioner for Education Dr. Adebimpe Aderiye, in a telephone chat with our reporter, said that the report by UBEC is largely outdated.
Dr. Aderiye said contrary to the claim that Ekiti State was owing counterparts funds, the state government has paid N1.395 billion in June, this year.
She said: “The Ekiti State Government in June 2024 paid N1,395,784, 059.14 as its counterpart fund.”‘Mutfwang determined to claim subsisting grants’
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has shown willingness and determination to access the 2020, 2023 UBEC grants, which past administration was unable to access.
The governor has, therefore, intensified efforts towards that to enable the state government claim the grants.
The State chairman of Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Simon Amuga, made these known while speaking with The Nation in Jos.
According to Amuga, “The previous administration did not take part of 2020 and 2023 UBEC grants. On assumption as the governor, Mutfwang discovered this and initiated moves to enable SUBEB to access that backlog of 2020 and 2023 grants.
“Due to the seriousness attached to it by the government, there is an assurance for that as we speak. Last week, the government awarded contract for that, because if you did not complete ongoing projects, you cannot access what is subsisting. So, the state government has already awarded contract for the completion of all ongoing UBEC projects.
“I can assure you that the governor is more than determined to all that is necessary to grab the subsisting grants for the benefits of education in the state.”
Source: The Nation
