How basic education funds diversion by ex-Kwara governor led to abandoned UBEC projects

A prosecution witness has told the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin that former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his then finance commissioner, Ademola Banu, allegedly diverted funds meant for universal basic education projects in 2013 and 2014.

Testifying before trial judge Mahmud Abdulgafar, on Wednesday, Musa Dasuki, a retired Permanent Secretary at the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said that the diversion of funds resulted in several abandoned educational projects across the state.

Mr Ahmed governed the state between 2011 and 2019.

Led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Dasuki explained that the Kwara State Government, during Mr Ahmed’s administration, made a formal request to use Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) funds to pay teachers’ salaries. The fund is the total of the contributions of each state and the matching grant from UBEC.

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“The then Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, who is the second defendant in this case, initially made an oral request for the release of the 2013 UBEC Matching Grant to pay teachers’ salaries. However, we insisted that such a request must be made in writing,” Mr Dasuki told the court.

Mr Dasuki said that the request was later formalised through a letter from the finance commissioner and was signed on his behalf.

He noted that the funds were deposited into the state government’s account at Skye Bank Plc.

Despite initial opposition from SUBEB, the board approved the release of funds after assurances from Mr Banu that the money would be repaid once the state received its federal allocation.

However, Mr Dasuki testified that the repayment never happened.

He further disclosed that the 2013 action plan, which the UBEC funds were meant to execute, included constructing 40 standard classroom blocks with offices, 40 VIP toilets, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres in primary and junior secondary schools across Kwara’s 16 Local Government Areas.

“However, many of these projects could not be executed because the funds had been diverted,” he said.

Contractors, he added, protested over non-payment for completed projects.

During cross-examination by Jimoh Mumini, also a SAN, counsel for Mr Ahmed, Mr Dasuki confirmed that neither the former governor nor his finance commissioner was a member of SUBEB.

EFCC alleges widespread diversion of UBEC funds

EFCC accused Messrs Ahmed and Banu of misappropriating a total of N5.78 billion in UBEC funds during Mr Ahmed’s eight-year tenure.

However, the duo pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were re-arraigned in October 2023.

Abubakar Hassan, an assistant director of finance at UBEC, testified earlier as the first prosecution witness.

He told the court that Mr Ahmed’s administration allegedly diverted funds meant for 51 UBEC projects in Kwara.

“My lord, the Projects Monitoring Committee conducted investigations and found that many projects were either unexecuted or abandoned,” Mr Hassan stated.

He added that in May 2018, UBEC wrote to Mr Ahmed, demanding an explanation, but received no response.

Mr Hassan also testified that on 6 January, UBEC had to loan N1 billion from the 2013 UBEC Matching Grant Account with Skye Bank to pay staff salaries and pensions due to the mismanagement of funds.

Mr Hassan further alleged that on 18 February 2016, the Kwara SUBEB illegally withdrew N1.8 billion from the UBEC fund.

He explained that state matching grants are strictly meant for education projects and cannot be used for other expenses.

“State Matching Grants are not permitted to be borrowed or utilized for any purpose outside the approved action plan. The objectives of UBEC were undermined due to these infractions and the failure to implement the Action Plan,” he said.

He also noted that UBEC had written to the state government, requesting documentation on how the funds were utilised.

Mr Abdulgafar adjourned the trial until Thursday for further proceedings.