After TheMail’s Investigation, Akwa Ibom Government Returns Supervision of Student Intervention Funds to Ministry of Education
…State Government Reaction opens more loopholes, Lies
By Ekemini Simon
The government of Akwa Ibom State has returned the supervision of student bursary and other intervention grants to the Ministry of Education.
The Government of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday, July 4, 2024 published on its redesigned bursary and intervention grant portal that pre-registrations and technical support for the ongoing student intervention for students with disabilities would be handled by the Ministry of Education.
According to information on the portal, a dedicated support desk has been created at the Ministry of Education for those who need assistance with the application process.
This is the first time since the creation of the portal by the Umo Eno’s administration that information is given on the role of the Ministry of Education in State Government intervention funds for students.
This is coming two days after TheMail Newspaper in its investigative report supported with funding from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development had shown that although the government of Akwa Ibom State under the administration of Governor Umo Eno is releasing funds for student bursary, scholarship among other intervention grants, the programmes lack transparency and institutional backing of the Ministry of Education as it was run by the Directorate of ICT and Digital Services, Office of the Governor without spelt out role of the Ministry of Education.
State Government Reacts to TheMail’s Investigative Report
The Government of Akwa Ibom State through the Commissioner for Education, Idongesit Etiebet on Thursday, July 4 on the occasion of a cheque presentation to students who the State Government gave scholarship for Aviation studies described as untrue the investigative report by TheMail Newspaper.
The report had also exposed how N320.2 million bursary and scholarship funds were released during the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel but it never got to students.
The Commissioner said that contrary to TheMail’s Investigation, the Udom Emmanuel’s administration had granted scholarships to students.
“Former Governor Emmanuel granted scholarships to indigent students, subsidized school fees in state owned tertiary institutions, sponsored several categories of students in specialized fields notably maritime safety, aviation and meteorological studies, to trainings within and outside the country”, she said.
Etiebet said journalists should always check facts and verify information before going to the press.
The Commissioner also denied granting an interview to TheMail Newspaper on the subject matter.
She said ” I want to say that I didn’t grant any interview, my Permanent secretary is here, the information officers are here. At no point did we have any interview with any Media house on Education in the last administration, that report was totally untrue”.
Loopholes, lies in State Government Claims
Analysis of the claims by the Commissioner for Education has left many loopholes and statements that are untrue.
TheMail Newspaper during the two months period of the investigation had made several efforts to verify facts from the Ministry. For instance, through a Freedom of Information request to the Commissioner received and acknowledged by her office on May 9, 2024, the newspaper asked for the identity of those who benefited from scholarship and bursary programmes of the Government of Akwa Ibom State between 2016 and 2022. This request was not acceded to.
The newspaper again on May 15, 2024 during an interview with the Commissioner in her office asked for the details of the beneficiaries. She instead directed the Information Officers of the Ministry, Idongesit Etuk and Nkoyo Inyangette to take the reporter to the Director of Scholarship Board for the information requested. The Director however did not provide the information but assured that it would be provided the moment she laid hands on it. Further reminders to the Director and the Information Officer, Idongesit Etuk on May 21, 28 and June 7 were still unproductive. This reporter again reached out to the Commissioner on June 7 through a text and WhatsApp message that the information she directed that should be given to the reporter is yet to be given. The WhatsApp message indicted that Mrs. Etiebet had read the message yet she failed to respond.
The refusal of the Ministry to provide the information with evidence for about two months since the request was made to her office raises questions to her claims that there were actually beneficiaries of open scholarship. It also raises questions on the sincerity of the Ministry to be ready to provide information to journalists when they are requested.
Curiously, the Commissioner failed to dispute or comment that the Udom Emmanuel’s administration did not pay bursary despite retiring N295 million which is 91.2 percent of the N320.2 million which our report showed was diverted.
She did not also dispute the confirmation on non-payment of bursary and scholarship from the following appointees of government; Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Scholarship Board, Williams Mkpa, the Special Assistants to former Governor Udom Emmanuel on Student Matters, Aquilla Otobong and Clifford Akwaowo
What is more, the Commissioner’s claim that she never had an interview with TheMail newspaper on the subject of bursary and scholarship has been found to be untrue. The reporter had met the Commissioner in her office on May 15, 2024 after an appointment for an interview that lasted 10 minutes, 12 seconds.
On the said day, the interview with TheMail Newspaper was immediately followed by another interview session with the team from the Ministry of Information who the Commissioner had also given appointment.
This team which was headed by a staff of the Ministry of Information, Eunice Egharevba was already in the Commissioner’s Office when the interview with TheMail Newspaper was at its concluding stage and had witnessed TheMail Newspaper’s interview with the Commissioner.
The interview climaxed when the Commissioner called the Information Officers of the Ministry, Idongesit Etuk and Nkoyo Inyangette to take the reporter to the Director of Scholarship Board, Eme Okidi.
Also, the reminder to the Commissioner sent as text and WhatsApp message on June 7 had referred the Commissioner to the directive she had given on the day of the interview. However, TheMail Newspaper is still in possession of the recording of the interview and would be ready to make it public if the Commissioner continues to deny that the interview was held.