Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged
\nPresident Muhammadu Buhari to “direct the Attorney General of the
\nFederation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and
\nappropriate anti-corruption agencies to investigate allegations that
\n$30m safe school fund is missing, mismanaged or diverted, and to bring
\nto justice anyone suspected to be involved, as well as recover any
\nmissing money.”<\/p>\n
SERAP urged him to “direct Mr Malami and appropriate anti-corruption
\nagencies to investigate why the Safe Schools Initiative, established to
\nbolster security at schools in response to the abduction of the Chibok
\nschoolgirls has failed to stop frequent abductions of students, and to
\nensure the safety and security of Nigerian children in schools across
\nthe country.”<\/p>\n
SERAP also urged him to “ask the United Nations Special Envoy for Global
\nEducation, Mr Gordon Brown to wait for the outcome of any investigation
\ninto the spending of the $30m initially budgeted for the Safe School
\nInitiative programme before leading the international community and
\ndonors to push for more funds for the programme.”<\/p>\n
SERAP’s letter followed the killing of three abducted Greenfield
\nUniversity students, and the plan launched by the Federal Government
\nlast week to raise additional funds for safe schools.<\/p>\n
In the letter dated 24 April 2021, and signed by SERAP deputy director
\nKolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Rather than pushing to raise
\nmore funds for the Safe School Initiative programme, your government
\nshould prioritise and ensure a thorough, transparent and effective
\ninvestigation into the spending of the $30m initially budgeted for the
\nprotection of schools, prevention of attacks, and continued education of
\nstudents.”<\/p>\n
The letter, read in part: “SERAP will also consider asking Mr Brown to
\nuse his influence to insist on transparency and accountability in the
\nspending of the $30m safe school fund before rushing to engage donors to
\ncommit to additional funding of the Safe School Initiative programme.”<\/p>\n
“SERAP also urges you to ask Mr Brown to put pressure on the 36 state
\ngovernors to accept voluntary scrutiny by Nigerians and civil society
\nregarding the spending of any funds spearheaded and raised by him to
\nimprove safety and security in Nigerian schools.”<\/p>\n
“Despite the $30m safe school fund meant to ensure safety and security
\nin 500 schools, and to provide a school environment free of fear, no
\nschool has been protected, as illustrated by the recent spate of
\nabductions and killings of students in several parts of the country.”<\/p>\n
“Allegations of corruption in the spending of the $30m safe school fund
\nundermine the safety and security of Nigerian children in schools, and
\ndeny access of poor children to quality education in a safe environment
\nbecause the money that the government should be spending to provide safe
\nschools for Nigerian children is squandered or stolen.”<\/p>\n
“The Nigerian government has a legal obligation to protect Nigerian
\nchildren from all forms of violence and other human rights abuses
\nincluding abductions, killings, and to prevent and combat corruption in
\nthe spending of funds budgeted to improve safety and security in
\nschools.”<\/p>\n
“Attacks on students, teachers and their families violate constitutional
\nand international human rights law, and force many families to keep
\ntheir children home. This aggravates existing disparities in access to
\neducation, further marginalizing the poor.”<\/p>\n
“The government’s apparent failure to ensure transparency and
\naccountability in the spending of the $30m safe school fund is contrary
\nto the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], and violates Nigeria’s
\nobligations under international law and the UN Sustainable Development
\nGoals.”<\/p>\n
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 14
\ndays of the receipt and\/or publication of this letter. If we have not
\nheard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions
\nto compel your government to comply with our request in the public
\ninterest.”<\/p>\n
“According to our information, the Federal Government, state governors
\nand security agencies together with foreign governments and UN agencies
\nlast week launched a plan in Abuja to finance safe schools in Nigeria.”<\/p>\n
“Mr Gordon Brown who attended the meeting reportedly promised to rally
\nglobal support for the programme, and stated that ‘donors are all ready
\nand willing to help in the latest move to fund and re-energise the
\ninitiative.'”<\/p>\n
“The plan to raise more funds for safe schools was launched barely a
\nweek after the 7th anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls,
\nwhich led to the launch of the Safe School Initiative programme.”<\/p>\n
“The Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure that federal
\nauthorities and state governments are transparent and accountable to
\nNigerians in how they spend safe school fund, and to tread carefully in
\nraising additional funds before probing the spending of the $30m fund.”<\/p>\n
“According to our information, the Government Secondary School in Chibok
\nis still in ruins despite funds that were committed to its renovation.
\nAllan Manasseh, spokesman for the Chibok community reportedly stated:
\n‘It was a substandard structure, every wind that blew destroyed a part
\nof the building. It kept falling off again and again and till today it
\nhas not been used.'”<\/p>\n
“Corruption poses a critical threat to the enjoyment of the right to
\neducation. It weakens institutions, erodes public trust in government
\nand impairs the ability of states to fulfil their human rights
\nobligations. It also undercuts both access to and the quality of
\neducation, and hits hardest at the most vulnerable and marginalised
\nsectors of society.”<\/p>\n
“Education is a basic right enshrined in various international treaties
\nratified by Nigeria, including the Convention on the Rights of the
\nChild, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
\nRights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Education
\nis empowering, and enables children to realize all of their human
\nrights.”<\/p>\n
The letter is copied to Mr Malami; Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman
\nIndependent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
\n(ICPC); Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes
\nCommission (EFCC); Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and
\nNational Planning, and Mr Brown.<\/p>\n
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-80006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n