Senate Panel Quizzes Safe Schools Coordinator Over Spending Irregularities, Delayed Budget Request

 

The Senate ad hoc committee probing the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) on Tuesday intensified its scrutiny of the programme’s finances, quizzing Halima Iliya, the National Coordinator for Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria, over alleged spending discrepancies and delayed budget submissions.

The committee, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, is examining how funds allocated to the multi-agency school security programme were released, utilised and monitored. The lawmakers are also probing consultancy fees and operational expenses tied to the initiative.

Iliya told the panel that the Safe Schools Initiative was established in 2014 following the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, with initial contributions lodged in a Central Bank trust fund. According to her, the federal government and Nigerian business leaders each contributed $10 million, alongside $1 million from the African Development Bank, €2 million from Germany, $4 million from Norway through UNICEF, and additional support from the UN Multi-Donor Trust Fund, USAID and the Qatar Foundation.

She explained that the initiative’s governing structure is co-chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the UN Special Envoy on Education, with governors of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, relevant ministries, NEMA, the North East Development Commission, and business leaders such as Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola serving as members.

Providing a breakdown of a N15 billion disbursement made in 2023, Iliya said N6.225 billion went to the Nigerian Police Force, N3.362 billion to the NSCDC, N2.250 billion to Defence Headquarters, and N519 million to the Federal Ministry of Education. She did not disclose the amount allocated to the Department of State Services (DSS), which drew concern from the lawmakers.

She also admitted that there were no budgetary provisions for the Safe Schools office in the 2024 and 2025 fiscal cycles, attributing the omission to a late submission of her 2024 request for presidential approval.

Senator Idiat Adebule (Lagos West) criticised what she described as an imbalance between consultancy spending and project execution.

“You have used almost half of N4.44 billion for consultancy and operational expenses while spending just about N4 billion on the actual project. Don’t you think this is why you haven’t been considered for fresh allocations?” she asked.

When Iliya attempted to clarify that the document submitted related to 2014 and not 2023, Adebule insisted she withdraw the remark, stating that the committee was not being done a favour.

Senator Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South) questioned the strategy behind allocating funds to security agencies already covered under national defence and policing budgets.

“If you have this money, release it only based on performance. Safe School funding must be domiciled in the communities where the problems exist, not where it is least impactful,” he argued.

Senator Kenneth Eze (Enugu East) raised concerns over what he described as troubling financial submissions.

“Funds have clearly been misapplied. Anyone could have drafted this document. The calculations raise major concerns, especially the consultancy figures,” he said.

At the end of the session, Senator Kalu directed the Safe Schools office to return with fully reconciled records of all allocations, expenditures, contractors, and documentation from the CBN trust fund account, warning that the committee would not tolerate inconsistencies.

The investigation continues.