Reps to sanction states over basic education fraud

The House Committee on Basic Education has said that state governments that have failed to deploy funding for basic education as provided in the Universal Basic Education Fund risk the prospect of legislative sanction.

The Abbas Tajudeen-led 10th House in November 2023, during the unveiling of the legislative agenda, expressed its commitment to amend the UBEC Act to increase funding into it from the Consolidated Revenue Fund from two to four percent.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Saturday, a member of the House representing Takum/Donga/Ussa Federal Constituency, Taraba State, Mark Useni, said a draft bill for increased funding of basic education has already passed the First Reading hurdle.

Commending the Federal Government for prioritising funding for basic education, Useni who chairs the House Committee on Basic Education warned that state governments which failed to provide matching funds to access funding for basic education may lose such an opportunity to other willing states.

He said, “We are conscious of the fact that some state governments access basic education funds but fail to manage it well. We may need to come up with legislation to penalise such states.”