Finance Ministry Halts N4.9bn Meal Subsidy for Unity Schools

The Ministry of Finance has not released the N4.9bn meal subsidy for 112 Federal Unity Colleges across Nigeria. Sources within the Federal Civil Service and multiple letters from the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, to the Finance Minister, Wale Edun, revealed this information. Although the ministry failed to release subsidies for November and December 2023, payments from January 2024 onward have been made.

The subsidy, amounting to N2,478,056,400 monthly, is crucial for the operation of these colleges. Didi Walson-Jack, the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, wrote to her finance counterpart in February 2024, requesting the release of the overdue funds. Walson-Jack emphasized that the delay in releasing the subsidies was disrupting the colleges’ operations, particularly amid rising food costs and inflation.

Despite Walson-Jack’s appeal, the finance ministry did not release the funds, prompting Minister Tahir Mamman to issue a reminder. Mamman highlighted that the non-release of funds had resulted in debts for the unity schools, affecting their ability to conclude the previous term smoothly and begin the new session in 2024. The ongoing rise in goods and services prices has exacerbated the situation, making it difficult to manage the meal subsidy program effectively.

Senior civil servants within the Ministry of Education expressed frustration over the delay. One anonymous official questioned the Finance Ministry’s calculations and urged transparency, noting that schools are facing financial difficulties and mounting unpaid debts. Despite repeated requests, the funds remain unreleased, impacting the schools’ ability to function properly.