Wale Edun, the minister of finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, will be appearing before the Senate on Tuesday of next week through its adhoc committee to investigate the failure of the Safe School Initiative.
Following the adoption of its work plan at today’s maiden meeting, the ad-hoc committee, led by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), summoned the Minister of Finance for an appearance.
The CDS, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar Audi, and representatives of school owners are other important parties involved in the collapsed initiatives that are scheduled for summoning.
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Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, who was briefed journalists at the inaugural session on Wednesday, vowed that the Senate would resolve all issues relating to the initiative’s implementation and establish full accountability.
He cited the abduction of over 1, 680 schoolchildren and the attack of 180 educational facilities as unacceptable for a country that is committed to child safety and educational development.
Kalu argued that it is unacceptable that our schools continue to be kidnapped and targeted by terrorists.
We will keep track of every naira and dollar spent on the Safe School Initiative, some of which were funded by the federal government’s most recent N144 billion, aside from the $30 million raised by the initiative between 2014 and 2021.
Nigerians should be aware that our schools remain unsafe despite significant investment and international support. Federal ministries, state governments, security organizations, and civil society partners will be the focus of the committee’s comprehensive financial and operational audit.
He argued that the committee owes Nigerian parents the duty to ensure that their children can pursue education without fear, just as he emphasized that the investigation does not target any one person or institution but rather seeks to improve accountability and transparency.
According to him, areas of investigation include: (i) Using the funds that have been allocated since 2014; (ii) Using and utilizing security personnel; (iii) Using early warning and emergency response systems; (iv) Investing in Infrastructure in Prey Areas; and (v) Working with international donors and private sector contributors.
Source: Channels TV
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