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N51bn UBEC Funds: Pay Counterpart Funds Now, SERAP Tells Govs
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the 36 state governors to “immediately redirect public funds budgeted to pay ex-governors undeserved pensions and other retirement benefits, and for ‘security votes’, and to use some of the savings to pay the counterpart funds that would allow poor children to enjoy access to quality basic education in your state.”
SERAP said: “Several of the 36 states have reportedly failed to pay the counterpart funds to access over N51billion matching grants earmarked by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for basic education in the country, as at July, 2019.”
In the letter dated February 19, 2022, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The report by UBEC that several states have failed to access N51.6billionn of matching grants suggests that these states are doing very little for poor children. It also explains why the number of out-of-school children in the country has risen from 10.5million to 13.2million.”
According to SERAP, “A violation of the right to education will occur when there is insufficient expenditure or misallocation of public resources, which results in the non-enjoyment of the right to quality education by poor children within the states.”
SERAP said that, “States’ dereliction in paying counterpart funds is antithetical to the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
The letter, sent to each of the 36 governors, read in part, “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your state to comply with our request in the public interest.
“The enjoyment of the right to education for millions of poor children remains a distant goal. In several states, this goal is becoming increasingly remote. The persistent failure to pay counterpart funds has hugely contributed to denying poor Nigerian children access to quality basic education, opportunities and development.
“State governors are clearly in a position to invest more toward the progressive realisation of the right to quality education for poor children within their states.
“Rather than spending public funds to pay ex-governors undeserved pensions and other retirement benefits and apparently using security votes for patronage and political purposes, governors should prioritise investment in education by immediately paying up any outstanding counterpart funds to UBEC.
“Redirecting public funds budgeted for life pensions and security votes, and cutting the cost of governance to pay the counterpart funds would be entirely consistent with your constitutional oath of office, and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution, as it would promote efficient, honest, and legal spending of public money.
“Continuing to spend scarce public funds on these expenses would deny poor Nigerian children access to quality, compulsory and free basic education in your state, and burden the next generation.
“Redirecting the funds as recommended would also ensure access to quality education for poor children, who have no opportunity to attend private schools. It would contribute to addressing poverty, inequality, marginalisation, and insecurity across several states.
“SERAP is separately seeking information from UBEC about the details of counterpart funds that have been between 2019 and 2022. In the meantime, SERAP urges you to clarify if your state has paid any counterpart fund between July, 2019 and 2022.
“SERAP urges you to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of any accessed matching grants from UBEC.
“States should prioritise paying their counterpart funds over and above spending on life pensions and other misallocations of scarce resources.
“Immediately paying your counterpart funds for basic education in your state would be a major step forward for children’s rights, and show your commitment to ensure the rights and well-being of all children, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.
“According to the Universal Basic Education Commission, Kwara State has failed and/or refused to pay the counterpart funds that would allow the state to access the matching grant of N6,245,355,130.05.
“This is the cumulative amount that Kwara State has failed to access as at July, 2019. Notably, Kwara has failed to access the following matching grants: N952,297,297.30 for 2011-2012; N1,918,783,783.78 for 2015-2016; N1,286,343,183.55 for 2017; N1,473,832,845.21 for 2018, and N614,097,018.83 for 2019.
“According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 1 in 3 children do not complete primary school in several states. 27.2percent of children between 6 and 11 years do not attend school. Only 35.6percent of children aged 3–5 months attend pre-school.
“As revealed by a 2018 report by Transparency International (TI), most of the funds appropriated as security votes are spent on political activities, mismanaged or simply stolen.
“It is estimated that security votes add up to over N241.2billion every year. On top of appropriated security votes, state governments also receive millions of dollars yearly as international security assistance.
“According to the UBEC, Abia State has failed and/or refused to pay the counterpart funds that would allow the state to access the matching grant of N2,988,805,613.14.
“This is the cumulative amount that Abia State has failed to access as at July, 2019. Notably, Abia has failed to access the following matching grants: N26,430,893.96 for 2011-2012; N874,444,853.76 for 2017; N1,473,832,845.21 for 2018, and N614,097,018.83 for 2019.
“According to our information, basic education in several states has continued to experience a steady decline. The quality of education offered is low and standards have continued to drop.
“The learning environment does not promote effective learning. School facilities are in a state of extreme disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation. Basic teaching and learning resources are generally not available, leaving many teachers profoundly demoralised.
“This situation is patently contrary to Section 18 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended); and the Sections 2(1) and 11(2) of the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act.
“Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realising other human rights. As an empowerment right, education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalised adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and obtain the means to participate fully in their communities.
“States are required to progressively implement socio-economic rights, including the right to quality education commensurate with the level of resources available. Gross misallocation of resources to the detriment of the enjoyment of the right to quality education can constitute a human rights violation.”
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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