Kebbi SUBEB Denies Non-access, Utilisation Of N1.39bn UBEC Funds

The Kebbi State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) has denied media reports (not LEADERSHIP) of its inability to access and utilize its N1.39 billion counterpart funding at Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

There were reports that Kebbi State government alongside Katsina, Kano, and Kaduna States had failed to pay their counterpart funding to access the UBEC funds.

However, the executive chairman of Kebbi SUBEB, Prof. Sulaiman Khalid, stated that the information was inaccurate.

According to Prof. Khalid, the State governor, Nasir Idris, had approved the payment of the counterpart fund, enabling the state to fully access the funds contrary to reports.

“The report claiming that Kebbi State has failed to access N1.39 billion in UBEC funds is inaccurate. Governor Nasir Idris graciously approved the payment of the counterpart fund, and the Kebbi state government has fully accessed these funds. There are no unutilized funds held at UBEC.

“For the clarity of the public, the N1.39 billion mentioned in the report relates to the 2023 Federal Government Statutory Allocation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Matching Grant. This grant is allocated annually to each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“According to the law, state governments must provide an equivalent sum as Counterpart Funds to access the UBE Matching Grant. In 2023, Kebbi State’s required Counterpart Fund was exactly N1,395,784,959.51,” Prof. Khalid stated.

The Kebbi SUBEB chairman also clarified that States can only access UBEC funds at the end of each year, adding that Kebbi State had fulfilled its obligation.

“The process for accessing these funds is time-bound, as the statutory allocation is released by the Federal Government on a monthly basis throughout the year. Consequently, states can only fully access their allocated funds after December 31st of each year.

“Kebbi state government complied with these requirements. On May 3, 2024, the state deposited its Counterpart Fund of N1,395,784,959.14 into the account of the Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and promptly informed UBEC of the payment. Subsequently, on July 12, 2024, UBEC matched this payment by depositing an equivalent sum into the Kebbi SUBEB account. UBEC also approved the state’s 2023 Action Plan for the implementation of UBE projects,” he clarified.

Speaking on utilising the fund granted to the State by UBEC, Khalid outlined areas of action including infrastructure and agriculture. He pointed out that the procurement phase would soon be completed and that contractors would soon get to work.

“With this full payment, Kebbi SUBEB now has N2,789,570,018.00 available for the execution of the 2023 UBE Intervention Projects. The funds will be utilized as follows, in strict compliance with the 2007 Procurement Act and the approved Action Plan.

“The procurement processes are nearing completion, and contractors will soon be mobilized to project sites across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state,” he stated

Khalid called on all relevant stakeholders and associations in Kebbi State to get fully involved in the implementation of the projects reiterating that “Education for All is the Responsibility of All.”

He said, “We invite civil society organizations, community development associations, and other non-state actors to participate in monitoring the implementation of these projects. Their involvement will help ensure transparency and accountability, and that Kebbi State achieves value for the funds invested in its educational sector.

“At Kebbi SUBEB, we firmly believe that “Education for All is the Responsibility of All.” We are committed to ensuring that every child in Kebbi State has access to quality education, and we appreciate the continued support of our partners and the community in achieving this goal.”