Abuja: The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has urged the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to expedite financial interventions to enhance the operations of Unity Schools and improve efficiency across the ministry. Alausa highlighted the pressing need for timely release of overhead and school feeding funds during a meeting with Accountant General Shamsudeen Ogunjimi in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Alausa expressed concerns about delays in financial disbursements to Unity Schools, noting that the last overhead release to the Federal Ministry of Education was in March, with the last school feeding budget received in April. This has left schools financially strained, leading to delayed school resumptions due to concerns over food supply shortages. Alausa proposed a quarterly release model to ensure stable financial support for schools and called for a decentralization of financial approvals to improve operational efficiency.
In response, Ogunjimi acknowledged the challenges and committed to prioritizing funding for the Federal Ministry of Education, particularly for Unity Schools. He supported the idea of termly funding releases and requested formal submissions from the Director of Finance and Accounts to facilitate timely disbursements. Ogunjimi also discussed the current bottom-up cash management policy, noting its progressive intent but recognizing the pressure it places on financial systems due to fiscal constraints.
Ogunjimi mentioned that a high-level committee is reviewing the policy’s merits and challenges, with a more practical approach expected soon. He also acknowledged the strain on the Office of the Accountant General due to the centralization of budget documentation, suggesting that contracts of lower value be handled at the agency level to alleviate pressure.