Nigerian govt says it spent N7bn in one year on security in unity schools

The federal government on Sunday said that it spent over N7 billion to provide security for unity schools between 2017 and 2018.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu in Abuja, when he addressed media practitioners on the policies, programmes and activities of the government in the education sector.

According to him, the N7 billion was for the beefing up of security through provision of security infrastructure for the 108 unity schools in the country.

He explained that government embarked on provision of basic security infrastructure in the schools owing to insecurity in the North East caused by Boko Haram terrorists as well as incidents of kidnapping in parts of the country.

He said, “Against the backdrop of insecurity in the northeast, occasioned by Boko Haram as well as incidents of kidnapping in parts of the country, the Federal Government has decided to provide basic security facilities in our Unity Schools.”

He told newsmen that government made available perimeter fencing in the schools that were yet to have one, CCTV cameras within the school premises, and also street lights powered by solar systems and modern security gates, among others.

Noting that security infrastructural project in unity schools began last year, the minister said in the 2017 budget, that the Federal Government made a provision of N5 billion for those facilities to be provided for in 65 unity schools, while a total of N2,025,811,972.99, was provided for the facilities for 39 schools in the 2018 budget.

According to him, the Ministerial Tenders Board (MTB), has already approved the award of contracts for the provision of the security facilities and in the coming weeks contractors would begin to mobilize to their various sites.

While giving the breakdown of schools that will benefit from the intervention, Adamu said the briefing was part of efforts by the government to be accountable to Nigerians, by keeping them abreast of what the current administration is doing to improve infrastructure in unity schools.

READ ALSO: 2019: Christian elders urge Nigerians to reject ‘two evils’

“The reason for briefing you and by extension, Nigerians, is that, as far as I am concerned, the best and only way to be accountable to the Nigerian people is through the media.

“Now that we have put these efforts of government in public glare, it will keep Nigerians abreast of what the Buhari administration is doing to improve infrastructure in our Unity Schools, as well as provide a secure environment for our children in these schools.

“Secondly, it will also enable civil society groups and communities where these schools are located to monitor the implementation of the projects. Thirdly, it will enable you the media to give the Nigerian public the progress report on the implementation of these projects from time to time.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now