Business
Sanction States Refusing To Access UBEC Funds – NGO
The Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), an NGO, has called on the Federal Government to sanction states that are refusing to access the Universal Basic Education funds.
The organisation made the call during a rally to commemorate the global action week in Abuja, Thursday.
The theme of this year’s event is “Ensuring Accountability for SDG4’’.
National Moderator, CSACEFA, Mr Kabir Alihu, said there was need for necessary reforms in the education sector, adding that these reforms required full utilisation of the UBEC funds for the development of the sector.
Alihu noted that the education budget in 2017 had received tremendous increase and as such should be channelled to appropriate quarters for speedy utilisation.
“From the document made available to us by UBEC, we find out that there are states that have not access the funds from 2011 and 2013.
“ With this we believe there is a problem somewhere, so we feel there should be a disciplinary mechanism and we should make education budget more transparent, more inclusive of the Civil Society Organisations and NGOs.
“By so doing, it will make the government accountable on what whatever they are meant to do,’’ he said.
The national moderator urged the Ministry of Education to review the Act on compulsory free education so as to accommodate all secondary school students, especially those in the Senior Secondary School 3 (SS3).
Alihu highlighted gray areas that the ministry should draw more attention with a view to develop the education system of the country.
He listed some of the areas to include adequate incentive of teachers, accessibility of schools to children, especially the girl child and the less privileged, increase in the education budgetary and planning process among others.
“ The essence of this rally is to commemorate with the global action week. We want the review of the nine year compulsory free education to 12 years to accommodate the senior secondary students.
“ We think that Act should be reviewed to be in line with the SDG 4 to have a quality 12 years education and leaving no one behind.
“There should also be increase funding of education at all level both at the national and state levels,’’ he said.
Also, Mrs Chioma Osuji, Policy Adviser, CSACEFA noted that the N60 million lying fallow with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should be accessed for the development of the education sector.
Osuji added that not accessing these funds would reduce the quality of education and denied many Nigerian children access to quality education.
“As at last month the boss of the UBEC stated that about N60billion is lying fallow in CBN that states have refused to access.
“So, if states are not accessing the funds, how do we deliver and ensure quality education in Nigeria.
“ Millions of children are not accessing education; the schools are in poor state. Money is there just lying fallow as states have refused to access these funds.
“Take for instance, Ebonyi state since 2011 has refused to access these funds and we have issues of education in that state. Kogi state for over 12 to 15 months has refused to pay the teacher’s salary.
Mr Hamzat Lawal, the Chief Executive, Connected Development (CODE), said that holding public officers accountable in the utilisation of funds would greatly help in the execution of projects.
Lawal said that the organisation would continue to track funds that were meant for the development of education system in the country.
Responding, Malam Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education, assured the group that their grievance would be looked into with apt attention.
Adamu, who was represented by Dr Mohammed Umar, Director, Human Resource Management in the ministry said the issues had coincided with what the ministry was doing at present.
“ I assure you that these certain key points will be presented to the ministry. This has also coincided with what we are currently doing and with your support we will achieve all this.
“All that is required is your patience because change is a gradual process; all these key points on review of curriculum, increase in the budget and the rest are what we doing,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group took their procession from the eagle square to the National Assembly and finally down to the Federal Ministry of Education.
The inscription on their placards read: Increase Education Budget, UBEC money should be in a fixed deposit account; use it wisely, Make Education Prerogative of the Girl Child and Recruit Quality Teachers.
Others include: Sanction states that refuse to access the UBEC funds, Oyo State, Constitute SUBEB; utilise the UBEC funds and increase citizen participation in education budgetary and planning process, among others.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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