INVESTIGATION: How NGO Discovered Multi-Million Naira Fraud In Kwara UBE Projects

Eduplana is a civic technology organization that uses data to advocate for quality education in Nigeria. To promote Universal Basic Education projects transparency in Kwara State, North-Central Nigeria, the organization embarked on a fact-finding mission in 2019.

The team extracted the 2018 education budget and analyzed the UBE projects in the state. Members of the Eduplana team set out to monitor the project afterwards.

Advertisement

The discoveries are published in the following report:

Background

In 2019, our team analyzed the 2018 UBEC projects in the Federal Government budget, and  our analysis showed that the FG allocated N13.82bn for 287 UBE projects in 33 states. Education allocation has been abysmal over the years with 8.4% in the 2018 budget.

Our team embarked on a field monitoring exercise and discovered these projects had not started. We carried out community sensitization and made citizens aware about the project. We wrote a letter to the Kwara SUBEB and were informed that they were not aware of these UBE projects.

Advertisement

Using the FOIA, we wrote a letter to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and we discovered N1.1bn was allocated for 129 UBE projects in Kwara state. Our analysis further revealed 74% of the projects was given to unregistered contractors. In 2021, our teams embarked on a project monitoring exercise and below are some of our discoveries.

4 LGs, Different Realities

Government Girls Day J.S.S, Pakata, Ilorin West LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State where Computers/Accessories was supplied by AGBT INTEGRATED SERVICES LIMITED (Not registered) for N3.24million. We observed that 6 computers and 1 generator were supplied. The 6 systems are kept at the principal’s house due to security reasons.

In Government Girls Day J.S.S, Pakata Ilorin West LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State, there was Construction of a block of Two Classrooms with Office, Store, and Supply of furniture which was carried out by ARZOO NIG LTD for N13.458 million. We observed that a block of two classrooms with an office, store and supply of furniture were delivered.

Advertisement

For Ilorin Grammar School, Ilorin West LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State, there was Supply of Computers/Accessories for N3.24million by MUBALKO WORLDWIDE SERVICES LIMITED. We observed that 24 computers (systems), and 1 generator were supplied. We observed the 24 systems are placed on clusters of cubicles to contain the systems.

With the highest allocation of N13.458million, Ilorin Grammar School, Ilorin West LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State had a Construction of a block of Two Classrooms with Office, Store, and Supply of furniture by TAMMAM RESOURCES LTD. We observed A block of two classrooms with an office, store and supply of furniture were delivered.

Taoheed JSS, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State had the supply of Computers and Generator for N4.99 Million by ALL SEASON INFOTECH NIG LTD. We observed 6 computers (systems), and 1 generator were supplied.

Taoheed JSS, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State also had the supply of Computers /Accessories by MUHASMAD NIG LTD for N4.41million. We observed that 9 computers (systems), and 1 generator were supplied.

A Case For ICPC

Taoheed JSS, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State had the Supply of Computers/ Accessories for N3.24 Million by HEADWAY WORLD STANDARD SERVICES LTD. We discover this project was repeated for this contractor in the same school. The school was unable to ascertain the contractor that supplied 6 computers (systems), and 1 generator to them as there was no supporting document for the handover. The Independent Corrupt Practice and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) retrieved one generator from the school with a letter from ICPC stating the retrieval.

Advertisement

 In Community Junior Secondary School, Iponrin, Ilorin West LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State, N13.458 Million was allocated for the Construction of a block of Two Classrooms with Office, Store and Supply of Furnitures by ALPHA O TECHNOLOGIES SERVICES LTD. We observed that A block of two classrooms with an office, store and supply of furniture were delivered. The roof of the building was leaking which affected the asbestos, and it was opened. The sschool authorities want more UBEC projects in their school.

For Government Day Secondary School, Karuma, Ilorin West LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State, N13.458million was allocated for the Construction of a block of Two Classrooms with Office, Store and Supply of Furniture carried out by KINZA DESIGN CONCEPT LTD. A block of two classrooms with an office, store and supply of furniture were delivered. Part of the roof was found dangling; the staff said the work didn’t correlate with the amount collected for the project.

In Junior Secondary School, Ogele, Asa LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State, there was Construction of a block of Two Classrooms with Office, Store and Supply of Furniture for N13.458 Million which was carried out by YAWAR INTEGRATED SERVICES LTD. We observed that construction was averagely okay, furniture was supplied, bad ceilings, no office, no store and the windows remain bad.

In Junior Secondary School, AUD, Ilorin West LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State, N13.458 Million was allocated for construction of a block of Two Classrooms with Office, Store and Supply of Furniture to be constructed by BRILLIANT MULTITECH SERVICES LTD. We observed that the construction is bad, most especially the roof/ceiling leak whenever it rains, no store, no office, in fact the class was now use as the staff office. The principal confirmed that the furniture was supplied; we observed they are not of standard quality and they were nowhere to be found.

Anurul Islam J.S.S, Oke Aluko, Ilorin South LGA, Kwara Central Senatorial District, Kwara State had an allocation of N3.24million for the supply of Computers/Accessories by LIBERTY PART & PIECES LTD. We observed 6 computers (systems),1 generator and a set of chairs were supplied. Both the furniture and computers supplied are kept in the principal’s store.

In J.S.S , Lajiki,  Kwara Central Senatorial District, there was an allocation of N4.04 Million for the Supply of Computers and Generator by OMZFIELD ENGINEERING SERVICES LTD. Computers and a generator were supplied by the constituency office, the office later went to the school and retrieved both the computers and generator. ICPC invited the school for interrogation on the computers and generator. No computers and No generator for the school.   

For J.S.S Ile Apa, Kwara Central Senatorial District, there was a supply of Computers and Generator for N4.04 Million by JABAL ADVANCED PROJECTS LTD. We observed 4 computers and a big generator were supplied to the school. The school kept the generator with the Alangua(community head) and the systems are still in the carton. The school was advised to start using the system for the benefit of their students.

Recommendations

The Computers and accessories supplied to Government Girls Day J.S.S Pakata,  Ilorin West LGA. should be kept in the School premises, rather than the computers being kept in the Principal’s house. Security should be improved around the school premises to ensure seamless access to the computers by students and teachers.

It is expedient to ascertain if due diligence was done in awarding contracts for the construction of a block of two Classrooms with an Office, Store and furniture at Government Girls Day J.S.S Pakata and Ilorin Grammar School respectively. The amount seems to be on the high side. With N13.458 Million, more buildings can be constructed in the aforementioned schools.

Same amount for different numbers of computers. For instance, for #3.24 Million, 6 Computers and 1 generator were supplied to J.S.S Pakata while 24 Computers and 1 Generator were supplied to Ilorin Grammar School at same amount. It is paramount to ascertain the types of computers supplied to the Schools because there is disparity in numbers of computers supplied in relation to the cost.

Supply of Computers and accessories at Taoheed Junior secondary school, Kwara Central Senatorial District

J.S.S Ile Apa, has not removed the computers supplied since 2018 from the carton. This is counterproductive as they will deteriorate if not used. For students, they are denied the opportunity to use and learn with these computers. Keeping facilities meant for use by students is not ideal, rather there should be provision for computer room as observed in Anurul Islam J.S.S Oke Aluko.

The quality of work done at Junior Secondary School AUD Ilorin West LGA is very bad. Due-diligence should be maintained in the selection of contractors by UBEC

Part of our recommendations is the need for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to carry the various SBMC and PTA along in executing any Project to enhance community led Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects executed to ascertain cost effectiveness.

In all the Schools, the cost for the Projects is not equivalent to the benefits. This is appalling as UBE Projects comes at a cost from States and the FG.

Leave a comment

Advertisement