By Olokuta Rofiat
The Senate has summoned the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, over the collapse of the $30 million Safe School Initiative (SSI), despite years of funding meant to protect schools from attacks.
The summons followed the adoption of the work plan of the Senate ad-hoc committee chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, which held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday.
The panel is probing why the initiative failed to curb school attacks and mass abductions.
Others expected to appear include the Chief of Defence Staff, NSCDC Commandant-General Dr. Mohammed Audi, and representatives of school proprietors.
Speaking after the meeting, Senator Kalu said the Senate would “unravel all issues” surrounding the management of the initiative.
He lamented that over 1,680 students have been kidnapped and 180 schools attacked since 2014, despite millions of dollars and recent federal allocations.
“It is unacceptable that our schools remain soft targets,” he said, adding that the probe will cover the $30 million mobilised between 2014 and 2021 and the N144 billion recently released for the programme. “We will track every naira and dollar.”
The summoned officials are expected to appear before the committee next week as the Senate pushes for accountability and improved school safety nationwide.