No N41bn for basic education in Anambra – Official

The Chairman, Anambra State Universal Basic Education (ASUBEB), Mr Patrick Ugboaja, has denied the reports that Governor Willie Obiano’s administration was yet to access N41 billion accruing to the state from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

Ugboaja, who reacted in a statement, averred that the state government has accessed all its monies from UBEC up to 2018 and waiting for 2019 and 2021 outstanding monies for only 2019 and 2021 amounting to N4.4BN.

“The reports claimed that the state government has not been able to claim this colossal amount (N41billion) because it has yet to pay its counterpart funding for the construction and renovation of basic schools owned by the State Government and voluntary agencies as well as for the furnishing of these schools and the training of the school teachers.

“We have all along ignored this story because the claim that a whole N41bn is due to any state in the Federation for basic education development is too wild for any critically thinking Nigerian to believe. However, the sensational story has now become a subject of commentary by politicians contesting the November 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra state.

“As already stated above, there is no N41B accruing to Anambra State in the office of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in Abuja. Anambra State has long accessed all its monies from UBEC up to 2018. The monies are always paid in arrears. What is outstanding now is our monies for only 2019 and 2021 which total N4.4BN. Efforts are being made to access them.

“Education is a most critical industry in Anambra State, and the State Administration treats everything concerning education as sacred. No state throughout Nigeria has the record of global competitiveness and excellence in basic education which Anambra State has achieved in the last seven years. We will not only uphold this record but also improve on it,” the statement said.