At least 26 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), failed to provide matching grants to access the basic education development fund last year.

This is according to data from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The records show that as of August 17, some states did not provide the 50 per cent matching grants to access the N29, 383, 637, 521. 72 with the commission.

The N29.3 billion, which represents figures from 2005, contradicts the N130 billion claim by Education Minister, Adamu Adamu at the 65th National Council on Education meeting in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, last Thursday.

Adamu, represented by Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, had regretted the inability of some states to access the funds, asking the affected states to re-prioritise basic education.

According to the records from the commission, only Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Rivers, Yobe and Zamafara provided the 50 per cent matching grant and fully accessed their funds in 2020.

Ogun did not access its N2, 726, 235, 8829. 08 that has been with the commission since 2019.

Others are Anambra (N2, 234, 958, 215. 39), Edo (N2, 234, 958, 215. 38), Imo (N2, 234, 958, 215. 39), Niger (N1, 728, 331, 188. 82) and Enugu (N1, 567, 052, 793. 43).

In the Southwest, only Lagos accessed the fund in 2020; Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom accessed it in the SouthSouth; only Yobe took it in the Northeast as well as Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi and Zamafara in Northwest.

No Southeast and Northcentral state provided the 50 per cent matching grant in 2020 to access the fund.

Other states that did not access their funds and how much they are entitled to are Abia (N741, 505, 036. 67), Adamawa (N715, 074, 142. 53), Akwa Ibom (N91, 277, 610. 32), Bauchi (N715, 099, 008. 23) and Benue (N715, 094, 142. 53).

Others are Borno (N715, 074, 135. 21), Cross River (N717, 121, 163. 55), Ebonyi (N2, 234, 958, 215. 39), Edo (N2, 234, 958, 215. 38) and Ekiti (N715, 074, 136. 53), Gombe (N715, 074, 136. 53), Kaduna (N715, 074, 136. 49), Katsina (N715, 074, 136. 53), Kogi (N715, 094, 136. 53), Kwara (N715, 216, 325. 23), Nasarawa (N715, 075, 137. 22) and Ondo (N715, 074, 136. 53).

The rest are Osun (N715, 074, 136. 53), Oyo (N715, 074, 136. 53), Plateau (N715, 074, 136. 53), Sokoto (N715, 074, 136. 53), Taraba (N715, 074, 136. 53) and the FCT (N715, 074, 137. 46).

The commission added that it has disbursed N500, 198, 430, 904. 47 to states from 2005.

Governors had complained about the 50 per cent matching grant.

Ok

And yet our primary School lies in ruins. This one na governors fall had, no blame PMB abeg.

Meanwhile I'm here for your real estate acquisition and construction in the Southeast and beyond. Check my signature. With many projects delivered and still counting.