Senior Advocate, Mr. Femi Falana, on Tuesday urged Nigerians to pressure state governors to access the “dormant” N135 billion Universal Basic Education (UBE) fund.
In a statement, the rights lawyer said, “In January 2024, we filed a suit at the Federal High Court praying for an order to compel the 36 state governments to access the sum of N68 billion in the account of the Universal Basic Education Commission.
“Some of the defendants have since questioned our locus standi to institute the action.
“However, it has been disclosed by the management of the Universal Basic Education Commission that the fund not accessed by 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory has increased to N135 billion due to the inexplicable failure to contribute the counterpart funds required by law.
“In view of the fact that both UNICEF and UNESCO have confirmed that Nigeria has 20.2 million out-of-school children, we are compelled to call on all patriotic Nigerians to mount sufficient pressure on the 34 state governments to access the UBE fund in order to educate every child in Nigeria in accordance with the provisions of the Child’s Rights Law applicable in every state as well as the Child’s Rights Act applicable in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Since every child is entitled to free and compulsory education from primary to junior secondary school under the Child’s Rights Law and the Compulsory, Free, Universal Basic Education Act, the authorities of the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory should no longer be permitted to toy with the right of indigent children to acquire basic education.”
