UBEC’s Counterpart Funding: House to Name and Shame Defaulting States

• N108.2bn budget proposed for 2022

Kuni Tyessi

The House Committee Chairman on Basic Education and Services, Prof. Julius Ihonvbare, has stated that the committee is ready and willing to partner the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in naming and shaming state government who have refused to pay their counterpart funding for the release of funds by the Commission.

The Chairman said this during the budget defence session at the National Assembly, and commended Gombe and Lagos as exemplary states that had been consistent in project and programme implementation.

Applauding the Commission for its proactiveness especially in the area of project implementation and monitoring across states, the chairman and his members proposed to seek the consent of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu to use a percentage of the counter funds for the building of libraries, fencing of schools and the provision of water in public schools.

In a statement released by the Commission,
the proposed budget for 2022 is N108,101,599,701.00 and is expected to be deducted from the 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF) which is aimed at consolidating on the achievements of the last five years.

It reads: “The National Assembly while expressing satisfaction in the implementation of activities and programmes of UBEC in the 2021 budget stated that it is willing to partner the Commission in naming and shaming defaulting states, especially states that have failed to access their counterpart funds and those that are poorly implementing projects across their states.

“He also cited Gombe and Lagos as exemplary states that have been consistent in project and programme implementation.

“Other members of the Committee while fielding questions to the Chief Executive of the Commission on programme implementation in the 2021 appropriation decried the level of negligence especially in completion of projects in some states by SUBEB.

“The National Assembly while expressing satisfaction in the implementation of activities and programmes of UBEC in the 2021 budget stated that it is willing to partner the Commission in naming and shaming defaulting states, especially states that have failed to access their counter funds and those that are poorly implementing projects across their states.

“The members also proposed to seek the consent of the Minister of Education to use percentage of the counterpart funds for the building of Libraries, fencing of schools and the provision of water supplies to public schools.

“The 2022 Budget which is N108,101,599,701.00 is expected to be deducted from the 2% of the Consolidated Revenue Funds (CRF) which is aimed at consolidating on the achievements of the last five years through the education for change policy of Mr. President.”