By Jane Salihu
ABUJA – The Senate on Tuesday widened its probe into the Safe Schools Initiative to cover major education funding and social intervention agencies, in a move lawmakers said was aimed at uncovering how billions of naira earmarked for school security, students’ welfare and educational development were utilised.
The upper chamber also granted its Ad-hoc Committee investigating the initiative, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), an additional three weeks to conclude its assignment and submit its report.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Kalu on the floor of the Senate.
According to Kalu, preliminary findings showed that the Safe Schools Initiative could not be effectively investigated in isolation due to its operational and financial linkages with several federal institutions responsible for education financing and humanitarian interventions.
He told the Senate that to ensure a thorough investigation, the scope of the probe must be expanded to cover the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Universal Basic Education Commission, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and the National Social Investment Programme Agency.
Kalu said the committee would examine financial flows, accountability mechanisms and project implementation across the affected agencies to ascertain whether intervention funds were effectively deployed to improve school security, educational infrastructure and support for vulnerable learners.
Following deliberations, the Senate adopted the motion via a voice vote and mandated the ad-hoc committee to conclude all outstanding inspections and submit a comprehensive report to guide further legislative action on transparency and accountability in the management of education-related intervention funds.
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