N51bn UBEC Funds: SERAP Urges 36 Govs To Pay Counterpart Funds Or Face Legal Action
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N51bn UBEC Funds: SERAP Urges 36 Govs To Pay Counterpart Funds Or Face Legal Action
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the 36 state governors to immediately redirect public funds budgeted to pay ex-governors undeserved pensions and other retirement benefits, security votes.
SERAP said the savings should be used as the counterpart funds that would allow poor children to enjoy access to quality basic education in state.
SERAP said: “Several of the 36 states have reportedly failed to pay the counterpart funds to access over N51bn matching grants earmarked by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for basic education in the country, as at July 2019.”
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.”
