Tinubu Media Volunteers (TMV) hails the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for mobilising and disbursing N100 billion unaccessed matching grants to states
This, the group said, comes even though many state governments are not meeting the requirement of providing the counterpart funding needed for them to access money for improvements in basic and secondary education in their areas.
The TMV in a statement signed Tuesday by its Chairman, Chukwudi Enekwechi and Secretary, Segun Ogedengbe said the decision was part of the measures to achieve measurable results in basic education under the commission’s 2025-2031 strategic blueprint.
“The UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, had at a press luncheon in Abuja, listed the milestones the commission had achieved in its Strategic Blueprint spanning from 2025 to 2031. “The statement read in full: Achievements include construction of 4,600 classrooms, renovation of more than 6,100 classrooms, provision of 2,780 toilets and 678 boreholes. They have also donated 334,000 pieces of school furniture across the country.
We observe that these achievements are taking place under the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu administration, particularly the mobilisation of hitherto unaccessed matching grants by the sub-nationals. It is also observed that unaccessed matching grants are usually counterpart funds the states are expected to contribute to the federal government’s contribution to improving basic education in the country.
Normally, states are expected to pay a 40 percent matching fee to tap the grants, but over the years, there have been a few instances of individual states not doing so. So, it is good that with this government, the commission was able to mobilise as high as N100 billion and we believe that will go a long way in helping them perform on their mandate.
”We also believe that excellent achievements from the Universal Basic Education Commission is a proof that the many changes embarked upon by the Tinubu administration are functioning in multiple sectors. “Also, the institutional reforms undertaken at the commission have led to the improvement of openness, project monitoring and data-driven decision-making in their activities. We thus praise the successes and urge them to continue on the path of good and responsible governance.
We also commend the federal government under President Tinubu through UBEC for releasing the monies even if the afflicted states could not meet up with their own part of the contract.‘We consider this act as unprecedented and a milestone in the benevolence of the Tinubu administration in the education sector.
It said the decision to issue the unaccessed grants was a reflection of the readiness of the Tinubu administration to provide for the education of the nation’s future generation.
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