Yobe State Government under the leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni, has deposited a whooping sum of N2.4 billion as counterpart fund with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The deposition which was made on Wednesday, will enables the Yobe State access annual funds disbursed by the federal government through UBEC, aimed at improving basic education across Nigeria.
The initiative is part of a broader federal requirement where each state must provide 50 percent in matching funds to qualify for the UBEC disbursement, which supports educational development efforts nationwide.
A document from UBEC’s Director of Finance, Adamu Misau, revealed that several states, including Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, and others, have also lodged their counterpart funds.
The disclosure was made in response to a Freedom of Information request by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
Read also: NAAT issues 14-day ultimatum to FG, threaten indefinite strike over unmet demands
However, the report noted that Adamawa and Bauchi States failed to access funds totaling N2.5 billion for 2022 and 2023 combined.
Additionally, Benue, Kwara, and Niger States respectively, were said to have outstanding amounts of N2.6 billion from previous years.
States like Kogi, Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ekiti, and Lagos, it was gathred have also left substantial sums unclaimed, with Ogun State topping the list, having allegedly failed to access N4.2 billion in funds from 2020 to 2023.
The report, further highlighted a concerning trend, as states left N1.4 billion unaccessed in 2020, N2.8 billion in 2021, N14.4 billion in 2022, and a staggering N36.1 billion in 2023.
