From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), yesterday, said some state governments were yet to access matching grants meant for development of public basic education system in their states.
UBEC said while some states were yet to access two to three years grant, Anambra State was yet to access 2019 matching grant as at April 30 that would have helped the state to further develop its basic education system.
Acting Executive Secretary of UBEC, Bala Zakari, told members of Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education who were on oversight visit to the commission, in Abuja, that over N46 billion matching grants for the development of public primary and junior secondary schools has remained un-accessed by some state governments.
He disclosed that over N162 billion was allocated to the states as Universal Basic Education (UBE) grants between 2019 and 2022, while N116 billion was accessed by 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as at April 30, 2023, representing 71.52 per cent.
Further breakdown of the capital budget implementation report indicated that in 2019, 35 states and FCT accessed the 2019 allocation, with one state, Anambra, yet to access the grant as of April 30, 2023.
On the 2020 matching grant, 30 states and FCT have accessed the grant, while six states, namely Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Ebonyi, Kwara and Ogun, are yet to access the matching grant as at April 20, 2023.
Eleven states, namely Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Ondo, Taraba and Zamfara, have accessed 2021 UBE matching grant, while 25 states and FCT are yet to accessed the matching grant as at April 30, 2023.
Similarly, 29 states have accessed 2022 matching grant projects, while seven states and FCT are yet to access the matching grant as at April 30, 2023.
Earlier, Chairman, Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education, Ibrahim Gaidam, said it was important to ensure money released by the government is use for the purpose it was released.
Gaidam, who was represented by the committee Vice Chairman, Akon Eyakenyi, said the visit was to also confirm the implementation of the 2022 budget of the commission and proposal for 2023.
The committee stressed the need for state governors to key into UBEC projects by accessing its fund to develop the nation’s basic education sector.