Senate grills Safe Schools coordinator over spending gaps, late budget request

The senate ad hoc committee investigating the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) intensified its probe on Tuesday.

The upper legislative chamber is looking into alleged financial irregularities, consultancy spending, and the utilisation of funds released to implementing agencies concerning the initiative.

The Orji Kalu-led committee examined Halima Iliya, the national coordinator of financing Safe Schools in Nigeria, on fund inflows, spending patterns, and the status of the multi-agency school security programme.

Halima Iliya said the programme was conceived after the 2014 abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls and was launched by then president Goodluck Jonathan alongside international partners.

She said contributions to the CBN-held trust fund included $10 million from the federal government, $10 million from Nigerian business leaders, $1 million from the African Development Bank, €2 million from the German government, $4 million managed by UNICEF from the Norwegian government, and combined support from the UN Multi-Donor Trust Fund, USAID and the Qatar Foundation.

She said the governance structure comprised a steering committee 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, key ministries, NEMA, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and business leaders including Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola.

She said the N15 billion released in 2023 was shared as N6.225 billion to the Nigerian Police Force, N3.362 billion to the NSCDC, N2.250 billion to the Defence Headquarters and N519 million to the federal ministry of education, while the DSS figure was not disclosed at the session.

Iliya said no allocation was made for safe schools financing in the 2024 and 2025 budgets because her request for 2024 came late for presidential approval.

Idiat Adebule, senator representing Lagos west, queried the high consultancy and operational costs at the session.

“You have used almost half of N4.44 billion for consultancy and operational expenses, and spent about N4 billion on the project itself. Don’t you think that is why you are not getting another budget?” she asked.

Halima Iliya said the document she submitted was for 2014 and not 2023.

“This document I presented is out of respect for this committee. The document you are reading is for 2014, not 2023. The Safe Schools programme was launched when the N15 billion was released,” she said.

Adebule asked her to withdraw the statement.

“You’re not doing us a favour. Please withdraw that statement,” she said.

Musa Maidoki, senator representing Kebbi south, questioned the policy framework for the funding.

“We already have a budget for the army, police and others. Why give them another budget? If you have this money, release it only when they perform. Safe School funding must be domiciled in the community and not put where it is not needed,” he said.

Kenneth Eze, senator representing Enugu east, raised concerns over the financial submissions.

“Funds have been misappropriated and we need to know. Anyone can draft this. The calculation of expenses raises serious concern, especially the amount spent on consultancy,” he said.

Kalu ordered the Safe Schools office to return with reconciled records of all funds released, all expenditures, names of contractors and full documentation from the CBN trust fund account.