BY BIMPE ADEYEMI
THE House of Representatives has commenced plans to investigate the N500million earmarked for the Safe School Initiative programme, which was put in place in March 2015, following the abduction of 230 Chibok schoolgirls in Borno State.
This followed a motion moved by the lawmaker representing Jere Federal Constituency of Borno State, Satomi Ahmed, at plenary on Wednesday.
The motion was titled, “Need to Investigate the 500 million Naira Chibok School Rehabilitation Fund”.
Ahmed recalled that the Federal Government, under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, announced a N500million fund to rebuild the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
He explained that the Minister of Finance at the time, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, launched the school rebuilding projects under the Safe School Initiative programme in March 2015 at the Chibok school.
“The school, when rebuilt and fully rehabilitated, was expected to have a state of the art library, a laboratory, a computer and ICT Centre, a sports arena and a clinic.
“Seven years after the foundation laying ceremony of the Safe School Initiative and announcement of a 500 Million Naira Fund by the Government for the rehabilitation of the Chibok School, nothing has been done in the school and the school has remained closed,” the lawmaker said.
He therefore called for a detailed investigation into what happened to the fund.
The motion was adopted by the House, while an ad-hoc committee to be constituted on the matter was given four weeks to report back for further action.
