Abubakar Hassan, the Assistant Director of Finance at the Universal Basic Education Commission, provided crucial testimony in the ongoing trial at the Kwara State High Court, which centers on allegations of misappropriating approximately N5 billion by the Kwara State Government. This amount was designated for specific projects aimed at enhancing primary and junior secondary education from 2013 to 2015, during the tenure of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. The prosecution claims that Ahmed and his previous Commissioner for Finance, Ademola Banu, conspired to mismanage and embezzle funds intended for the salaries of teachers under the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board. Despite the serious allegations, both Ahmed and Banu entered pleas of not guilty when they were arraigned in October.
During the trial, Hassan, identified as the first prosecution witness, articulated accusations of misallocation of funds to the court. He elaborated on the purpose of the Matching Grant Funds, which are specifically designed to support the development of essential infrastructure for primary and junior secondary schools. This infrastructure includes building facilities such as classrooms, laboratories, toilets, and providing necessary services like water supply and sanitation. Hassan emphasized that these funds are a critical component in bolstering educational standards and creating a conducive learning environment for students.
Hassan explained the procedural requirements leading to the allocation of Matching Grants. According to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) regulations, the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, its Executive Secretary, and the Director of Finance are required to serve as signatories to the Matching Grants Accounts. These accounts are typically opened with either a commercial bank or the Central Bank of Nigeria. For the years in question, the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board had developed and submitted an action plan for 2013, which had received approval and was supported financially by UBEC.
In terms of financial allocations, Hassan detailed the grants received by Kwara State, which amounted to approximately N5 billion across the years 2013 to 2015. This included N2 billion for 2013, N876 million in 2014, and N982 million in 2015. However, despite the successful initiation of the 2013 action plan—which saw contractors mobilized for site work—Hassan revealed a troubling discovery during a routine project monitoring exercise. It was found that around N2 billion designated for the 2013 projects had been diverted by officials of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, raising serious concerns about financial integrity.
Following the uncovering of these discrepancies, Hassan stated that a report was compiled by the project monitoring committee and subsequently sent to the Kwara SUBEB, urging compliance with the committee’s recommendations. Unfortunately, the commission did not receive any response from the Kwara SUBEB, leading Hassan’s team to take further action by contacting the banks to demand the return of the funds allocated for 2014 and 2015. The continued absence of activities or projects from 2016 to 2018 was attributed to the state’s failure to address the previous recommendations regarding the misappropriated funds.
The presiding judge, Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar, listened attentively to the witness’s testimony and subsequently adjourned the case, scheduling the next hearing for February 17, 2025. The unfolding revelations in this trial have brought to light critical issues regarding the management of public funds and the need for accountability in government financial practices. The case highlights systemic challenges in the educational sector and underscores the importance of vigilance and integrity in the handling of public resources meant to improve educational outcomes.
