By Anayo Akwitti
The Senate has expanded the scope of its investigation into the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI), bringing key education funding and social intervention agencies under scrutiny while granting its Ad-hoc Committee an additional three weeks to conclude its assignment.
The decision followed a motion moved on Tuesday by Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Senator Orji Kalu (APC, Abia North), who sought an expansion of the committee’s terms of reference and more time to complete its investigation.
Under the broadened mandate, the committee will now investigate the activities of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
Senator Kalu told lawmakers that preliminary findings showed strong links between the Safe Schools Initiative and several federal agencies responsible for education funding, student welfare, humanitarian support and social intervention programmes.
He argued that limiting the investigation to the Safe Schools Initiative alone would leave critical gaps in understanding the challenges surrounding school security, educational infrastructure and support for vulnerable learners.
“The issues surrounding student security, educational infrastructure funding and social intervention schemes for vulnerable learners across the country are deeply interwoven. Investigating the Safe Schools Initiative without reviewing these complementary bodies will result in fragmented legislative oversight,” Kalu said.
He added that widening the probe would enable the Senate to produce a comprehensive report capable of strengthening accountability, improving transparency in intervention funding and enhancing the safety of students nationwide.
As part of its expanded assignment, the committee will review financial flows, operational challenges and accountability mechanisms across the affected agencies. It will also examine school feeding programmes, emergency support for displaced students, educational rehabilitation projects, TETFund-funded infrastructure and security interventions, NELFUND’s loan disbursement processes, and UBEC’s basic education programmes.
Kalu also informed the Senate that the committee had been unable to complete visits to some critical locations due to time constraints and competing legislative responsibilities.
“We’re supposed to submit our report, and there are four key areas that were not done. I needed the permission of the Senate so that we can conclude it in the next two or three weeks and come back with a report,” he said.
Following a voice vote presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, lawmakers unanimously approved the committee’s request, granting it a three-week extension to conclude its investigation.
