Senate Summons Finance, Education Ministers Over Collapse Of $30m Safe School Initiative

The Senate through its adhoc committee investigating the collapse of Safe School Initiative has summoned the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to appear before it on Tuesday next week.

Summoning of the Minister of Finance by the ad-hoc committee headed by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North) for appearance, followed the adoption of its work plan during maiden meeting held today.

Other critical stakeholders of the collapsed initiatives slated for summoning are the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa; the CDS; Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence; Dr Mohammed Abubakar Audi and representatives of school proprietors.

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Briefing journalists at the inaugural sitting on Wednesday, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, vowed that the Senate would unravel all issues surrounding the initiative’s implementation and ensure full accountability.

He noted that over 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped and 180 educational facilities attacked since 2014, describing the situation as unacceptable for a nation committed to educational development and child safety.

“It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” Kalu said.

“We will track every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative, some of which were the $30million mobilized between 2014 and 2021 aside the latest N144 billion released for the initiative by the federal government.

“Nigerians deserve to know why, despite enormous investment and global support, our schools remain unsafe. The committee will undertake a comprehensive financial and operational audit, engaging federal ministries, state governments, security agencies and civil society partners.”

The committee, according to him, owes Nigerian parents the responsibility to guarantee that their children can pursue education without fear just as he  stressed that the probe is not targeted at any individual or institution, but aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency.

Areas of investigation according to him, are (i) Utilisation of funds allocated since 2014, ( ii) Deployment and effectiveness of security personnel, (iii) Early warning and emergency response systems, (iv) Infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools and ( v) Partnerships with international donors and private-sector contributors.

The investigation followed fresh national outrage triggered by the recent abduction of 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State and over 200 others in St Mary Catholic School in Niger State.

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